‘After almost destroying the planet, our relatives have become friends’: the thrilling audio series featuring JFK and Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, the planet edged closer toward destruction more so than ever during modern times. This happened following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft found the fact that Russian atomic missile installations were under construction in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. In response, President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval blockade around Cuba. The next phase was nearly two weeks filled with unbearable anxiety.

An Catastrophic Danger

The threat remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a chain reaction involving worldwide atomic strikes and retaliatory strikes could have followed, thrusting humanity into all-out ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered extensively, through books, films, and television programmes. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents a novel element to this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the men who, over 13 days, controlled the fate of the planet in their hands.

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

For her, the beauty of the show is its attempt to question: "How can individuals hate each other to the point they confront one another?"

"It struck me how spectacular it is that individuals have the potential to be allies or else can become complete enemies," remarks Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently a writer and lawyer. "We see this dynamic repeatedly in instances where countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."

The Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, people around the world were able to observe almost in real time while it edged towards disaster. Even so, the danger of annihilation came closer than anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would've destroyed our aircraft carriers as well as sunk our largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation that would have ended all life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, they managed to remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks in October, the tension was felt globally. The Bomb’s presenters were born in the years following the crisis, and Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which presented an alternative version of what happened.

"You said your father recalls it, and it was a scary day," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that things are constantly fine or sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, it was different. "They told me what a great moment it was, as it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and avoided the war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. In the years to come, though, that view would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced , well produced so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This is, partly, due to contributions from renowned scholars. But, truly, the most groundbreaking aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I aren't the first," smiles Nina. "After 1991, a relative moved to America where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Max. "That is unfortunate because we connected immediately and now we are friends, which is really great. Finally, after almost 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our families are now friends, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes with Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to be able to learn