Following almost annihilating the planet, our relatives have become friends’: the gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, humanity came closer toward destruction more so than ever during recent history. This transpired following the discovery that a US reconnaissance plane found that Russian atomic missile bases were being assembled on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the US mainland. In response, President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to impose a naval blockade encircling the island. The next phase constituted nearly two weeks filled with impossible anxiety.

An Catastrophic Danger

The threat was clear. Should Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a chain reaction involving worldwide nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes could have followed, casting mankind into total ruination.

The October crisis has been documented extensively, in volumes, films, and TV documentaries. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" introduces a completely new element to the story. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the figures that, for 13 days, controlled the fate of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Soviet side thinking? What were the United States thinking?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and an academic specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "How can nations hate each other to the point they oppose each other?"

"It struck me how remarkable the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be complete enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently a writer and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic over and over in instances where countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the sheer folly involved to fight."

A Precipice of Disaster

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens worldwide were able to observe nearly in real time while it edged towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction was more imminent than most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would have launched a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would've obliterated our naval vessels and destroyed our primary naval force. In turn, we would have responded with massive retaliation which would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to exercise restraint while calmly negotiate when everyone in their governments was pushing for action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles from Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by the sense of hope.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Still, for those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which painted a slightly different narrative of what happened.

"You said your father recalls it, and it was a scary day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly fine or sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, as it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Subsequently, however, that interpretation was not held by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is so even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most groundbreaking aspect is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for relatives of the heads of state of America and USSR to appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of hope.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate because we connected immediately and we are friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly six decades of nearly annihilating the world, our families have become friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels with Current Perils

Or is it? One reason the reason this series seems so urgent is because we now are living living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since world leaders don’t seem to be able to comprehend