Following nearly destroying the planet, the relatives have become friends’: the thrilling audio series from JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, the planet veered closer toward annihilation more so than ever during modern times. This transpired following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft identified the fact that Russian nuclear weapon installations were being assembled on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to establish a naval blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period was almost 14 days of extreme stress.

An Unthinkable Threat

The peril remained palpable. If Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a series of worldwide atomic attacks followed by retaliatory strikes would have ensued, thrusting civilization into total destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented extensively, through volumes, films, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb presents a completely new dimension to this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the figures that, for two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the planet within their grasp.

"What was the Russians considering? What was Washington thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also an academic of international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt to question: "Why do people detest one another and oppose each other?"

"I am acutely aware how remarkable the fact that people can be friends or can become complete adversaries," states Max Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently a writer and attorney. "We see this repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

A Brink of Catastrophe

What is notable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded so publicly, people around the world were able to observe almost as it happened while it moved closer to armageddon. Even so, the danger of annihilation came closer than anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba with the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians on the ground would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would've destroyed our aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone in their governments was pushing for action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American missiles based in Turkey. The relief was palpable, matched by a feeling of hope.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, for those two weeks in October, the fear was palpable globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after the crisis, and Nina being taught about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which presented an alternative version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know a great deal about it, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly fine or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, as it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start the war, which was a positive thing," she continues. Subsequently, though, that view was not held by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably even-handed and well produced so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, in part, thanks to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most groundbreaking aspect remains the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union to appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a sign of optimism.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is a shame since we got along really well and now we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years of nearly annihilating the world, our lineages have become allies, so I think global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Parallels with Present Dangers

Or is it? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is that we now find ourselves in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to be able to comprehend