Following nearly annihilating our world, our relatives have become friends’: a gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, humanity edged nearer to destruction more so than ever during the contemporary era. This transpired when a US reconnaissance aircraft discovered the fact that Soviet atomic missile installations were being assembled in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the United States. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted nearly a fortnight filled with impossible stress.

The Unthinkable Danger

The danger remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a cascade of worldwide nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes could have ensued, casting humanity toward all-out oblivion.

The October crisis has been documented repeatedly, through books, films, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents a completely new dimension to the story. The series is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the leaders who, for 13 days, held the fate of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Russians thinking? What were the American side planning?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in global relations.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast is its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do nations hate one another to the point they oppose each other?"

"It was not lost on me how profound the fact that people have the potential to be friends or else can become complete enemies," states Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to JFK and currently an author and attorney. "We see this repeatedly when countries have gone to war, demonstrating the sheer folly it is to fight."

The Precipice of Disaster

What is remarkable about this event was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens around the world were able to observe nearly as it happened while it moved closer to disaster. Even so, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than what most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly the Russians stationed there would have launched a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've sunk the naval vessels and sunk our primary fleet. And, we would have responded with massive retaliation that would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, who managed to remain calm and engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors in their governments were advocating military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles from Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his missiles based in Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was the sense of hope.

A Divergent Perspective

Still, for those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born shortly after the crisis, with Khrushcheva learned about the crisis via the USSR's school curriculum, which painted a slightly different narrative of events.

"You said your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal about it, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that things are constantly wonderful and positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, as it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. Subsequently, though, that perspective was not held by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted that Nina quips she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most significant aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable for relatives of the leaders of America and USSR to appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.

"We are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, a relative moved to America where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame because we got along immediately and we are friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years since almost destroying the world, our families have become friends, suggesting global relations is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels and Current Dangers

Or is it? Part of why this series feels so necessary is that we once again are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to learn