Following almost annihilating the planet, the families have become allies’: a gripping audio series featuring JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, humanity veered nearer toward destruction more so than ever in modern times. This occurred following the discovery that an American reconnaissance aircraft identified that Russian nuclear missile sites were being assembled on the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the United States. In response, President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime quarantine encircling the island. The next phase was almost 14 days of impossible stress.

The Catastrophic Threat

The threat remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes could have followed, thrusting mankind toward all-out oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined extensively, in books, movies, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents a novel perspective to this historical narrative. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the figures who, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin planning? What was Washington thinking?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic of global relations.

In her view, the strength of the show lies in its attempt to question: "Why do people hate each other and go against each other?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that people can be friends or else can become complete adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now a writer as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice of Catastrophe

What’s remarkable regarding this event was that, because it unfolded so publicly, individuals globally were able to observe almost as it happened as it moved closer to disaster. Even so, the danger of destruction came closer than most people realised.

"Almost all officials in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would've obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as destroyed our primary fleet. And, we would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, who managed to exercise restraint while calmly negotiate when everyone in their governments was pushing for military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Yet, during those two weeks in October, the tension was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the Soviet education system, which portrayed a slightly different picture of events.

"You said your parent recalls it, and it was a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much about it, since it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was always wonderful and positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, as it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. Subsequently, though, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is so even-handed and well produced so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, partly, due to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most momentous thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of America and USSR to appear side by side. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, my uncle moved to America and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met before the podcast," adds Max. "That is unfortunate since we got along really well and now we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after nearly six decades since almost destroying the world, our lineages have become allies, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes and Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series feels so necessary is that we now find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn