‘After almost annihilating our world, our families are allies’: a thrilling audio series featuring John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the world edged nearer toward destruction more so than ever during modern times. This happened when an American reconnaissance aircraft discovered that Soviet nuclear missile bases were being assembled on the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the United States. In response, U.S. President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade encircling Cuba. What followed was almost 14 days of extreme tension.

The Unthinkable Danger

The danger remained obvious. If Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a series involving global nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes could have followed, casting mankind toward all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been covered repeatedly, in books, movies, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb introduces an unprecedented dimension to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the leaders that, over 13 days, held the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What was the Kremlin planning? What was the United States thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also a professor specializing in global relations.

For her, the beauty of the show lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "How can people hate each other and oppose each other?"

"It struck me how remarkable the fact that humans have the potential to be friends or else have the potential to be total adversaries," states Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently a writer as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations have gone to war, demonstrating the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What’s remarkable about this event is that, since it transpired so publicly, individuals globally were able to observe almost as it happened as it crept towards disaster. However, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than most people realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, which would have destroyed our aircraft carriers and sunk America's largest and most important naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to remain calm and engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements around them were advocating action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Different Perspective

Yet, for those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, with Khrushcheva learned about it through the USSR's education system, which presented an alternative picture of what happened.

"You said your father recalls it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always wonderful or positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion it was, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. In the years to come, though, that view would not be shared by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so even-handed , well produced so much so that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, in part, due to contributions from historians. But, really, the most significant thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. That these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a sign of progress.

"Max and I aren't the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we connected immediately and we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after almost 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our families have become allies, so I think global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Echoes with Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of why this series seems so urgent is because we once again are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn