Following almost destroying the world, the families are friends’: a thrilling podcast from JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, the planet came nearer to destruction than at any other point during recent history. This transpired when an American surveillance plane identified the fact that Russian nuclear weapon installations were being assembled on Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval blockade encircling the island. What followed was almost a fortnight of unbearable stress.

An Catastrophic Threat

The peril remained obvious. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a series of worldwide nuclear attacks and counterstrikes could have followed, casting humanity into all-out ruination.

The October crisis has been documented repeatedly, in books, films, and television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a completely new element into the story. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the figures who, for two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Russians thinking? What were the United States planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor specializing in international affairs.

For her, the strength of the podcast is its endeavor to question: "Why do people detest one another and oppose each other?"

"I am acutely aware how remarkable it is that humans can be allies or have the potential to be complete enemies," remarks Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to the late president and now an author as well as attorney. "History shows this dynamic over and over when countries enter into conflict, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to engage in warfare."

A Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What’s striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens globally could watch nearly in real time while it crept closer to disaster. However, the danger of destruction was more imminent than most people realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians on the ground would've launched a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, which would've sunk the aircraft carriers and destroyed America's primary fleet. In turn, we would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended all life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint and calmly negotiate when everyone in their governments were advocating military action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was the sense of optimism.

The Different Perspective

Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after these events, with Nina learned about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which presented an alternative narrative of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always wonderful or positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion it was, as it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a positive thing," she adds. Later on, though, that perspective was not held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced , expertly crafted so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. But, really, the most significant aspect remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and USSR to appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"We aren't the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "After 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame since we got along really well and we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, after almost six decades of nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages are now friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Echoes with Current Dangers

Or is it? One reason the reason this series feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to comprehend