‘After almost destroying the planet, the families have become friends’: a gripping podcast featuring John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, the world edged nearer toward destruction more so than ever in recent history. This occurred following the discovery that an American surveillance aircraft identified that Soviet nuclear weapon bases were under construction on Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. In response, President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime blockade around the island. The next phase was almost 14 days of extreme anxiety.

The Catastrophic Danger

The peril was palpable. If Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a cascade involving worldwide atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes might have ensued, plunging mankind toward all-out destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented repeatedly, through books, films, and television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought an unprecedented dimension into the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the figures who, over two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of humanity in their hands.

"What was the Russians planning? What was Washington planning?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic specializing in international affairs.

For her, the strength of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "How can nations hate each other and confront one another?"

"It struck me how profound the fact that humans can be friends or have the potential to be complete enemies," states Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to the late president and now an author and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly it is to fight."

The Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is striking about the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, people globally could watch almost in real time as it moved towards disaster. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than what anybody understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House wanted a military strike followed by an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians on the ground would have deployed a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, which would have obliterated our naval vessels and sunk our largest and most important fleet. And, we would have responded with massive retaliation which would have ended most life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, who managed to exercise restraint while engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating military action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his missiles from Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by the sense of optimism.

A Divergent Perspective

Yet, for those 13 days in October, the anxiety was felt globally. The podcast's presenters were born shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva learned about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative narrative of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always wonderful and positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion it was, as it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and avoided a global war, which was a positive outcome," she continues. Subsequently, however, that view was not shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is so even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the leaders of America and the Soviet Union would appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"We are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, my uncle moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame since we connected really well and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our families have become allies, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels with Current Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of why this series seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend