‘After nearly destroying the world, the relatives are friends’: a thrilling audio series from JFK and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, the planet came nearer toward annihilation more so than ever in recent history. This transpired when a US reconnaissance plane discovered the fact that Russian atomic weapon sites were under construction on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a naval quarantine encircling the island. The ensuing period constituted almost two weeks filled with impossible anxiety.

The Catastrophic Danger

The peril remained palpable. If Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear attacks followed by retaliatory strikes would have followed, thrusting mankind toward total destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered endlessly, through books, films, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented element into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the leaders that, for 13 days, held the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What was the Russians considering? What was the American side planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also a professor specializing in global relations.

For her, the strength of the podcast lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can people hate one another to the point they oppose one another?"

"I am acutely aware how profound it is that individuals can be friends or can become total adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently a writer and attorney. "History shows this repeatedly when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice of Disaster

What’s striking regarding this event was that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens worldwide were able to observe almost as it happened as it edged closer to armageddon. However, the danger of destruction came closer than what anybody realised.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians on the ground would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would have destroyed our aircraft carriers and sunk our primary fleet. And, we would have retaliated with massive retaliation which would have ended most life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to exercise restraint while calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors in their governments were advocating action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew American missiles from Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was the sense of optimism.

A Divergent Perspective

Yet, during those two weeks in October, the anxiety was palpable globally. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following these events, with Khrushcheva being taught about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which presented a slightly different picture of events.

"You said your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening day," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much about it, since it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always wonderful or sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. Later on, though, that view was not shared by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed and well produced that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This is, in part, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most significant aspect remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and USSR to appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a sign of progress.

"We are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is a shame since we connected immediately and now we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, after almost six decades of nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now friends, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Echoes with Present Perils

Or is it? Part of why this series feels so necessary is that we now are living living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to comprehend