Following almost destroying the planet, our relatives are friends’: the thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, humanity veered closer toward destruction than at any other point during modern times. This happened after an American reconnaissance aircraft discovered the fact that Soviet atomic missile installations were under construction on Cuba, less than 100 miles from American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval blockade around Cuba. The next phase constituted almost two weeks of impossible stress.

An Unthinkable Danger

The threat remained clear. Should Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a series of worldwide atomic attacks and counterstrikes would have ensued, thrusting civilization toward all-out ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered extensively, through books, movies, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" introduces an unprecedented dimension to the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the figures that, over 13 days, held the fate of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Soviet side thinking? What were Washington thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also an academic specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast is its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can people detest each other and go against one another?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that individuals can be allies or else have the potential to be total adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the sheer folly involved to fight."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What’s remarkable about this event was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, individuals around the world could watch almost in real time while it moved towards disaster. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than what most people realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike and a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians stationed there would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would have sunk our naval vessels as well as sunk our primary naval force. And, we would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to remain calm while calmly negotiate when everyone around them were advocating military action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was immense, as was a feeling of hope.

A Different Perspective

Still, for those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after these events, with Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which portrayed a slightly different version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, describing it as a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know a great deal about it, because it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly fine or sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus avoided the war, seen as a positive thing," she adds. Subsequently, however, that perspective would not be held by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so balanced and well produced so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This effect is, in part, due to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most significant thing is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of America and the USSR would appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a sign of optimism.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate because we got along immediately and we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages have become friends, so I think the world is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels with Current Dangers

Or is it? Part of why this series feels so necessary is because we once again are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to grasp