‘After nearly destroying our planet, our relatives have become allies’: the thrilling podcast featuring JFK & Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the world veered nearer toward destruction more so than ever in recent history. This transpired when an American reconnaissance aircraft found that Russian atomic missile installations were being built in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. In response, President JFK directed a naval task force to establish a maritime blockade around the island. What followed was nearly two weeks filled with extreme anxiety.

An Unthinkable Threat

The threat was palpable. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire on their enemy, a cascade involving worldwide nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes would have followed, casting mankind into total ruination.

The October crisis has been examined repeatedly, in books, films, and TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought a completely new element into this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the men who, for two tense weeks, held the fate of the world in their hands.

"What was the Kremlin thinking? What was the American side considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also a professor of global relations.

For her, the beauty of the podcast is its endeavor to question: "How can people hate one another and confront each other?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable the fact that people can be friends or else can become total adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now an author and attorney. "History shows this dynamic over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, demonstrating the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare."

A Brink of Disaster

What’s striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded so publicly, citizens globally were able to observe almost in real time as it crept towards armageddon. Even so, the risk of annihilation came closer than most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians stationed there would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would've destroyed our naval vessels as well as sunk our largest and most important naval force. And, we would have responded with massive retaliation which would have ended most life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, who succeeded in exercise restraint and calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors around them was pushing for military action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his similar weapons based in Turkey. The relief was palpable, matched by the sense of optimism.

The Different Viewpoint

Still, for those 13 days in October, the fear was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world in the years following the crisis, with Nina learned about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative narrative of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was always wonderful and sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, it was distinct. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, as it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. Subsequently, though, that view would not be held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is so even-handed and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking aspect is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable for descendants of the leaders of America and Soviet Union to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame since we got along immediately and now we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, following nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages have become allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Parallels and Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason why this series feels so necessary is that we once again are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp