‘After almost destroying the planet, the families are allies’: the thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, the planet came nearer toward destruction more so than ever in the contemporary era. This occurred after a US surveillance plane identified that Russian atomic missile sites were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. In response, President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to enact a maritime quarantine around Cuba. The ensuing period was nearly 14 days filled with unbearable stress.

An Unthinkable Threat

The threat was obvious. If President Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a cascade involving global nuclear strikes and counterstrikes would have followed, thrusting mankind toward total oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, through books, films, as well as television programmes. However, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought an unprecedented perspective into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the figures who, over two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What was the Russians thinking? What was the United States planning?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor specializing in global relations.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "Why do people hate each other and oppose one another?"

"It struck me how remarkable the fact that people can be allies or else have the potential to be complete adversaries," states Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently a writer as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic over and over when nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the sheer folly involved to fight."

The Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired so publicly, individuals around the world were able to observe nearly in real time as it moved closer to disaster. Even so, the risk of annihilation came closer than most people realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians stationed there would've launched a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would have obliterated our naval vessels and sunk our primary fleet. In turn, we would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint while calmly negotiate when hawkish elements around them was pushing for action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was the sense of hope.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Still, for those two weeks in October, the fear was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the USSR's education system, which portrayed an alternative picture of events.

"You said your father remembers it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was constantly wonderful and positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, it was different. "They told me what a great occasion it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and didn’t start a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she continues. Subsequently, though, that view would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is so balanced and well produced so much so that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most significant thing is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a sign of progress.

"We aren't the pioneers," smiles Nina. "Following 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 unfortunate because we got along really well and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years of almost destroying the world, our families are now friends, so I think the world is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels and Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of why The Bomb feels so necessary is that we now find ourselves living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to grasp