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

During October 1962, humanity came nearer toward destruction than at any other point in the contemporary era. This happened following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft identified the fact that Soviet atomic missile sites were being assembled in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to establish a maritime blockade encircling Cuba. The next phase was nearly 14 days filled with unbearable anxiety.

The Unthinkable Threat

The peril was clear. Should President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a chain reaction of worldwide atomic attacks and counterstrikes could have ensued, casting mankind toward all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented endlessly, in books, movies, and television programmes. However, for its third season, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" introduces a novel element to the story. It is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the men who, over two tense weeks, held the fate of the planet in their hands.

"What was the Kremlin thinking? What were the American side planning?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the strength of the show is its endeavor to explore: "How can people hate each other and go against each other?"

"It was not lost on me how profound it is that humans can be friends or can become complete enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and currently a writer as well as lawyer. "History shows this over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

A Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What is remarkable about this event is that, since it unfolded so publicly, citizens globally could watch almost in real time as it edged closer to disaster. Nonetheless, the risk of destruction came closer than most people realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and an invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly the Russians stationed there would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would've obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have responded through massive retaliation which would have ended all life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint while engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for military action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed American similar weapons based in Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Still, for those two weeks in October, the fear was felt globally. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different picture of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, describing it as a scary day," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was constantly wonderful or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great occasion for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. Subsequently, though, that interpretation would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up America."

An Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, in part, thanks to contributions from historians. But, really, the most significant thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union to appear side by side. That these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"We are not the first," notes Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we connected really well and we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages have become friends, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of why this series seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to grasp