Following nearly destroying the world, the relatives are allies’: the thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the planet veered closer toward destruction more so than ever in the contemporary era. This transpired following the discovery that an American reconnaissance aircraft discovered the fact that Russian atomic missile sites were being built in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime blockade around the island. What followed constituted almost a fortnight filled with impossible stress.

An Catastrophic Danger

The threat remained palpable. Should Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a cascade involving global nuclear attacks followed by retaliatory strikes might have ensued, plunging mankind toward total oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered extensively, through books, movies, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought an unprecedented dimension into the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the leaders who, for two tense weeks, held the destiny of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin considering? What were Washington planning?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and an academic specializing in international affairs.

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

"I am acutely aware how profound the fact that humans have the potential to be friends or can become complete enemies," adds Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently a writer and lawyer. "We see this repeatedly when nations have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

The Brink Towards Disaster

What’s remarkable about this event was that, since it unfolded so publicly, people worldwide could watch almost in real time as it edged closer to catastrophe. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than what anybody realised.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike followed by an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would've sunk our naval vessels and sunk America's primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation that would have ended most life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors around them was pushing for military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his similar weapons based in Turkey. The relief was immense, as was a feeling of hope.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world in the years following these events, with Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which presented an alternative version of events.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, describing it as a scary day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware that much about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was constantly wonderful or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was distinct. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. In the years to come, though, that view would not be held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a setback for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. But, truly, the most groundbreaking aspect remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable for relatives of the leaders of the United States and USSR would appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we got along really well and now we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, following almost 60 years of almost destroying the world, our lineages are now allies, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because world leaders don’t seem to be able to comprehend