Following almost destroying our planet, the relatives are allies’: a thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, humanity veered closer to ruin more so than ever in the contemporary era. This transpired after an American surveillance aircraft found that Soviet atomic weapon installations were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime blockade around Cuba. What followed was almost two weeks filled with unbearable stress.

An Catastrophic Danger

The threat remained obvious. Should Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a cascade of global atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes might have followed, thrusting mankind into all-out oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered extensively, through books, movies, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb has brought an unprecedented perspective to this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the leaders that, over two tense weeks, grasped the fate of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Russians planning? What were the American side considering?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor of global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the show is its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do individuals detest one another to the point they go against each other?"

"It was not lost on me how profound the fact that people can be allies or else can become total adversaries," states Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and now a writer and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality involved to fight."

A Precipice Towards Disaster

What is notable regarding this event is that, since it transpired so publicly, people globally were able to observe nearly in real time as it crept closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation came closer than most people understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would have launched a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have obliterated the aircraft carriers and sunk our primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended all life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, who managed to exercise restraint while engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone around them was pushing for action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American missiles from Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was the sense of optimism.

A Different Perspective

Still, during those two weeks in October, the fear was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following the crisis, and Khrushcheva learned about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative narrative of events.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly fine and sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, and didn’t start the war, seen as a positive thing," she continues. Subsequently, however, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is so balanced and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, in part, due to contributions from historians. But, really, the most momentous thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the leaders of America and USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," smiles Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame since we got along immediately and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now friends, suggesting global relations is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels with Current Dangers

Or is it? Part of why this series seems so urgent is because we once again are living in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, partly since world leaders appear not to be able to grasp