‘After nearly annihilating the world, the families are allies’: a thrilling podcast featuring JFK & Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, humanity edged closer to ruin than at any other point in recent history. This happened when a US surveillance plane discovered that Soviet nuclear missile bases were under construction on Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the US mainland. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to establish a maritime blockade encircling the island. The ensuing period was nearly 14 days filled with impossible anxiety.

The Unthinkable Danger

The peril remained clear. If President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a series of global atomic attacks and counterstrikes would have ensued, casting mankind into total ruination.

The October crisis has been covered endlessly, in volumes, films, as well as TV documentaries. However, for its third season, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought a novel perspective into this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the men who, for 13 days, grasped the fate of the world in their hands.

"What was the Kremlin thinking? What were Washington considering?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in global relations.

For her, the unique appeal of the show lies in its attempt to explore: "Why do people hate one another and oppose each other?"

"I am acutely aware how profound the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or else have the potential to be complete adversaries," states Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently a writer and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, highlighting the sheer folly it is to fight."

The Brink Towards Disaster

What is notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded so publicly, individuals worldwide could watch nearly as it happened while it edged closer to catastrophe. Even so, the threat of annihilation came closer than what most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike followed by an invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would have deployed a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, which would have destroyed our naval vessels and destroyed our largest and most important naval force. And, we would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have ended all life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to remain calm and engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone in their governments demanded military action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the missiles from Cuba while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed his missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by the sense of hope.

The Different Perspective

Yet, during those 13 days in October, the tension was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after these events, and Nina learned about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which painted an alternative narrative of events.

"You said your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening day," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know a great deal about it, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always fine and sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful thing," she adds. Subsequently, though, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying America."

An Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is so even-handed , well produced so much so that Nina quips it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, partly, due to contributions from renowned scholars. But, truly, the most significant aspect remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of America and the USSR would appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"We are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we got along immediately and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now friends, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Present Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is that we now find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to be able to comprehend