Following almost destroying our planet, our families have become allies’: the thrilling audio series featuring JFK & Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, the world veered closer toward destruction than at any other point in recent history. This transpired when a US reconnaissance aircraft identified that Soviet nuclear weapon bases were being assembled on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the US mainland. In response, President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to impose a naval blockade encircling Cuba. The ensuing period was almost a fortnight filled with impossible tension.

An Catastrophic Danger

The danger was clear. If Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on their enemy, a chain reaction involving worldwide nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes could have followed, casting mankind into total oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, through books, movies, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel element into the story. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the men that, for two tense weeks, grasped the fate of the planet within their grasp.

"What was the Soviet side thinking? What was Washington thinking?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and a professor of international affairs.

In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "Why do individuals detest each other and go against each other?"

"I am acutely aware how profound it is that people have the potential to be friends or else can become total enemies," states Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently a writer and lawyer. "We see this repeatedly when countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."

The Brink of Catastrophe

What’s notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens globally were able to observe nearly as it happened while it moved towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the danger of annihilation came closer than anybody realised.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would have fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would have sunk our aircraft carriers and destroyed our primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended most life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, they succeeded in remain calm while engaging in diplomacy when many advisors around them were advocating action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his similar weapons based in Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by a feeling of optimism.

A Different Perspective

Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world in the years following the crisis, with Nina learned about it through the Soviet education system, which painted an alternative narrative of events.

"You said your father remembers it, describing it as a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was constantly wonderful and positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she continues. Subsequently, however, that view would not be held by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed , expertly crafted so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most groundbreaking aspect is the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of America and USSR to appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of optimism.

"We are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we connected immediately and we’re friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following nearly six decades of nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels and Present Dangers

Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is because we once again find ourselves living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn