Following almost annihilating the world, the relatives have become allies’: a gripping podcast featuring John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, the planet edged closer to ruin more so than ever during recent history. This transpired following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane discovered the fact that Soviet atomic missile bases were under construction on the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the US mainland. In response, U.S. President JFK directed a naval task force to impose a maritime quarantine encircling the island. The ensuing period was almost a fortnight filled with extreme tension.

An Catastrophic Threat

The threat remained palpable. Should President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a chain reaction involving global nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes might have ensued, plunging civilization into all-out destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined extensively, through books, movies, as well as television programmes. However, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb introduces a completely new perspective to the story. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the figures who, over two tense weeks, grasped the fate of the world in their hands.

"What were the Soviet side planning? What were the United States thinking?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and a professor of global relations.

For her, the strength of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "How can individuals detest one another to the point they oppose one another?"

"It was not lost on me how spectacular the fact that individuals can be allies or else have the potential to be complete adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently an author and attorney. "We see this repeatedly in instances where countries have gone to war, demonstrating the sheer folly it is to fight."

A Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it transpired so publicly, individuals globally were able to observe nearly in real time while it moved closer to disaster. Even so, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than what anybody realised.

"Almost all officials in the White House wanted an airstrike and an invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would have destroyed our naval vessels and sunk America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, they succeeded in remain calm while calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments demanded action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Still, for those 13 days in October, the tension was felt globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following the crisis, and Nina being taught about the crisis via the USSR's education system, which presented an alternative picture of what happened.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are always fine or positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, seen as a wonderful thing," she continues. Subsequently, however, that view would not be held by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a setback for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is so even-handed and well produced that Nina quips she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This is, in part, due to the participation of historians. But, really, the most momentous thing is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable that relatives of the leaders of America and the USSR to appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following 1991, a relative moved to America and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Max. "That is unfortunate because we got along immediately and we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now friends, so I think global relations is safer, a little bit."

Modern Parallels and Current Perils

Or is it? Part of why The Bomb feels so necessary is because we now are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to grasp