Following almost destroying the world, our relatives are friends’: a thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the planet veered closer toward ruin than at any other point during recent history. This occurred following the discovery that an American surveillance aircraft identified the fact that Russian atomic weapon bases were under construction in the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK directed a naval task force to establish a naval quarantine around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted almost a fortnight filled with unbearable stress.

An Unthinkable Threat

The peril was clear. If President Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a series involving worldwide nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes could have ensued, thrusting mankind toward total ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined extensively, through books, movies, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb introduces a novel element to the story. It is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the leaders who, over two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Russians considering? What was the American side thinking?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also a professor of international affairs.

For her, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do nations hate each other and oppose each other?"

"It struck me how profound it is that humans have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be complete adversaries," adds Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently an author as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when countries have gone to war, highlighting the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare."

A Brink of Disaster

What’s striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded so publicly, individuals globally could watch nearly in real time while it crept towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than what most people realised.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by an invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would've deployed a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, which would've sunk our aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's primary naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended all life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, they managed to remain calm and calmly negotiate when hawkish elements around them were advocating military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the missiles from Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, matched by a feeling of hope.

A Different Perspective

Yet, during those two weeks in October, the fear was felt globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following these events, with Khrushcheva learned about it via the USSR's education system, which presented an alternative picture of what happened.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware a great deal about it, because it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are always fine and positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and avoided the war, seen as a positive thing," she continues. In the years to come, however, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced and well produced that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, partly, due to contributions from renowned scholars. But, truly, the most momentous thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable for relatives of the leaders of America and Soviet Union to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of progress.

"Max and I are not the first," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met before the podcast," adds Max. "Which is unfortunate because we got along immediately and we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, following nearly six decades of nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Current Dangers

Or is it? Part of why The Bomb seems so urgent is that we now find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to comprehend