‘After nearly destroying the world, the families have become allies’: a gripping audio series from JFK & Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the planet edged nearer toward annihilation than at any other point in modern times. This transpired following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft discovered that Russian nuclear weapon sites were being built in Cuba, a mere 100 miles from American soil. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to enact a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. What followed was almost a fortnight of extreme stress.

The Catastrophic Danger

The danger was clear. Should Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a series involving worldwide atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes would have ensued, casting mankind into all-out ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered repeatedly, in volumes, films, and television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new dimension to the story. The series is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the figures who, for 13 days, held the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What was the Soviet side thinking? What was the American side planning?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also a professor of international affairs.

For her, the strength of the show lies in its attempt to question: "How can individuals hate each other to the point they oppose one another?"

"I am acutely aware how profound it is that humans have the potential to be friends or else have the potential to be complete enemies," states Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and currently an author as well as lawyer. "We see this repeatedly in instances where countries have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

The Brink of Disaster

What is remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded so publicly, individuals worldwide were able to observe almost in real time as it edged closer to armageddon. Even so, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians on the ground would have launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, which would've sunk the aircraft carriers as well as sunk our primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated with massive retaliation which would have ended most life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, who managed to keep their heads and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was the sense of optimism.

A Different Perspective

Yet, for those 13 days in October, the fear was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world in the years following these events, and Nina being taught about it via the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, and it was a scary time," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that things are constantly wonderful and positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment it was, as it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. In the years to come, however, that view would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably even-handed , well produced that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget the known outcome. This is, in part, due to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of America and USSR to appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we got along immediately and now we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following almost six decades since nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become allies, suggesting global relations is safer, somewhat."

Modern Parallels with Present Perils

Or is it? One reason why this series feels so necessary is that we now are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to comprehend