Following nearly destroying our world, the relatives are allies’: a gripping podcast featuring JFK & Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, the planet edged closer to destruction than at any other point in recent history. This transpired after a US surveillance plane discovered the fact that Soviet atomic weapon sites were under construction in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from American soil. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade around the island. The ensuing period constituted nearly 14 days of extreme anxiety.

An Catastrophic Threat

The threat was palpable. If President Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a chain reaction involving global atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes could have ensued, thrusting humanity into total oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined endlessly, through volumes, films, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new perspective to this historical narrative. It is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the figures that, for 13 days, grasped the destiny of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side considering? What were Washington thinking?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic of international affairs.

For her, the strength of the podcast lies in its attempt to question: "How can people hate one another and oppose one another?"

"I am acutely aware how profound the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or else can become complete adversaries," states Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to JFK and currently a writer as well as attorney. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly in instances where countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."

A Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What is remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it transpired so publicly, individuals worldwide could watch nearly in real time as it moved closer to disaster. However, the risk of destruction was more imminent than what most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have fired a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have obliterated the aircraft carriers and sunk America's largest and most important naval force. And, we would have retaliated with massive retaliation which would have ended all life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors in their governments demanded action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by the sense of hope.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, during those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world in the years following the crisis, with Nina learned about the crisis through the USSR's school curriculum, which presented a slightly different narrative of what happened.

"You said your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are always fine or positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, it was distinct. "I was informed what a great occasion for the USSR, as it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Later on, however, that perspective would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying America."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most significant thing is the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of the United States and the USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame since we connected immediately and we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, following nearly six decades since almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become friends, so I think global relations is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels with Current Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of why this series feels so necessary is because we now find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since world leaders don’t seem to be able to grasp