‘After nearly annihilating the planet, the families are friends’: a gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, humanity veered closer toward destruction more so than ever in modern times. This occurred after an American surveillance aircraft found the fact that Russian atomic missile installations were under construction in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the United States. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade around Cuba. The next phase was almost two weeks of unbearable anxiety.

An Unthinkable Danger

The danger remained obvious. Should Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a cascade of worldwide atomic attacks and retaliatory strikes might have followed, plunging civilization into all-out oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined extensively, in books, movies, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb presents a novel dimension into this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the men that, over 13 days, held the fate of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Soviet side considering? What was the American side considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also an academic of international affairs.

For her, the unique appeal of the show is its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do individuals detest one another to the point they go against each other?"

"I am acutely aware how remarkable the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or can become total adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now a writer and lawyer. "We see this dynamic over and over when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

A Brink Towards Disaster

What’s remarkable about this event is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, individuals globally were able to observe nearly in real time as it crept closer to catastrophe. Even so, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike and an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have fired a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, which would've sunk our naval vessels and destroyed our primary naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, they succeeded in exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors around them were advocating military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by the sense of optimism.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, for those 13 days in October, the tension was palpable globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, with Nina learned about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which presented an alternative picture of events.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was constantly fine or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, however, that interpretation was not held by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is so balanced and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable that relatives of the leaders of the United States and USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate because we connected really well and now we are friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, following almost six decades of nearly annihilating the world, our families are now friends, so I think global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes and Current Dangers

Or is it? Part of the reason this series feels so necessary is because we now are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to be able to learn