‘After almost destroying the world, the relatives have become friends’: the thrilling podcast featuring John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, humanity edged nearer to annihilation more so than ever in recent history. This occurred when a US reconnaissance aircraft identified that Russian atomic missile sites were being built on Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK commanded a naval task force to establish a naval blockade around the island. The next phase was nearly 14 days of extreme tension.

The Catastrophic Threat

The danger remained clear. If President Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a series involving worldwide nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes could have followed, casting civilization toward all-out ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented endlessly, through books, films, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought a completely new element into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the men that, over 13 days, held the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What was the Kremlin planning? What were the American side thinking?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also an academic specializing in international affairs.

For her, the beauty of the show lies in its endeavor to explore: "How can people detest each other and go against one another?"

"It struck me how spectacular it is that people have the potential to be friends or else have the potential to be total adversaries," adds Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to JFK and now an author and attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly in instances where countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid it is to engage in warfare."

A Brink of Catastrophe

What’s striking about this event was that, because it transpired so publicly, people globally could watch almost in real time as it edged closer to catastrophe. However, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than what most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike and an invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have sunk our aircraft carriers and sunk America's primary naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, they managed to keep their heads while calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements around them demanded action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles in the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of hope.

The Different Perspective

Still, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following the crisis, and Nina learned about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different narrative of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, describing it as a frightening day," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always fine or positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, it was distinct. "They told me what a great occasion it was, as it was a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, and avoided the war, seen as a positive outcome," she continues. Subsequently, though, that perspective would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced and expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a sign of optimism.

"We are not the first," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame because we connected immediately and we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years of nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become allies, suggesting global relations is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason this series feels so necessary is that we once again are living in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp