‘After nearly destroying the world, our families are allies’: a gripping podcast from JFK & Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, the world veered closer to ruin more so than ever in the contemporary era. This occurred after a US surveillance aircraft discovered that Russian nuclear missile installations were being built on Cuba, less than 100 miles from American soil. In response, President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to enact a maritime blockade encircling the island. The ensuing period constituted nearly 14 days of extreme stress.

The Unthinkable Threat

The danger remained obvious. Should President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a chain reaction of global nuclear strikes and counterstrikes might have followed, plunging civilization into total ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered extensively, through books, movies, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a completely new perspective to this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the figures that, over two tense weeks, held the fate of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side considering? What was the United States thinking?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in global relations.

For her, the beauty of the show lies in its endeavor to explore: "Why do people detest one another and oppose each other?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular the fact that humans can be allies or have the potential to be complete adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly in instances where nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

A Brink Towards Disaster

What’s striking about this event is that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, people around the world were able to observe nearly in real time while it crept closer to armageddon. However, the risk of destruction came closer than anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba with the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians stationed there would've launched a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, which would have obliterated our naval vessels and destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to keep their heads and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements around them were advocating action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Different Viewpoint

Yet, for those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following these events, and Nina learned about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative narrative of events.

"You said your father recalls it, describing it as a scary time," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was always fine and positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, however, that perspective was not held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up America."

An Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably balanced and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most momentous thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of America and the USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a symbol of hope.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, my uncle moved to America and formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers prior to this project," adds Max. "That is a shame since we connected really well and now we are friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after almost six decades of almost destroying the world, our lineages have become allies, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Echoes with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason this series seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn