Following almost destroying our world, the relatives have become allies’: the thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, the planet veered nearer toward destruction more so than ever during modern times. This transpired following the discovery that an American surveillance aircraft found the fact that Russian nuclear weapon sites were being built in Cuba, less than 100 miles from the US mainland. In response, President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to establish a naval quarantine around Cuba. The next phase constituted nearly a fortnight filled with impossible tension.

The Unthinkable Danger

The peril remained palpable. Should Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a series of worldwide nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes could have ensued, thrusting humanity into total oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented repeatedly, in books, films, as well as TV documentaries. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new dimension to the story. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the men who, for 13 days, held the destiny of humanity in their hands.

"What was the Kremlin thinking? What were the United States planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic of international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast lies in its endeavor to explore: "Why do people hate one another to the point they go against one another?"

"It struck me how profound it is that humans can be friends or else have the potential to be complete enemies," remarks Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently an author and attorney. "We see this repeatedly when nations have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

The Precipice of Catastrophe

What is remarkable regarding this event is that, since it transpired so publicly, individuals globally could watch almost as it happened while it moved towards armageddon. Even so, the threat of destruction was more imminent than what anybody realised.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted a military strike and an invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba with the naval blockade, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would've launched a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, which would have destroyed our aircraft carriers and destroyed our primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have ended most life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, they managed to keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements in their governments demanded action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American similar weapons based in Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by a feeling of optimism.

A Different Viewpoint

Still, for those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about it through the Soviet education system, which painted a slightly different picture of events.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, describing it as a scary day," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are constantly fine and sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start the war, seen as a positive thing," she continues. In the years to come, though, that view would not be held by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying America."

A Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is remarkably even-handed and well produced so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This is, in part, due to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most momentous aspect remains the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR to appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, has to be a sign of hope.

"Max and I aren't the first," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we got along immediately and now we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years of nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become allies, so I think global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes and Present Dangers

Or is it? One reason the reason this series feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because world leaders don’t seem to be able to grasp