‘After nearly annihilating the planet, our relatives have become allies’: a gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the planet came closer toward ruin more so than ever during the contemporary era. This transpired after an American reconnaissance aircraft found that Soviet atomic weapon installations were being assembled in the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to establish a maritime quarantine encircling the island. The next phase was nearly a fortnight filled with extreme tension.

An Unthinkable Danger

The danger was obvious. If President Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a chain reaction of global atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes would have ensued, thrusting mankind into all-out oblivion.

The October crisis has been documented extensively, through volumes, movies, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" introduces an unprecedented dimension into the story. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the men that, for 13 days, grasped the fate of humanity in their hands.

"What was the Kremlin considering? What were the United States thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also a professor of global relations.

In her view, the strength of the show lies in its endeavor to explore: "How can nations detest one another and go against one another?"

"It struck me how profound it is that people have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be complete adversaries," states Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and currently an author and attorney. "History shows this over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

A Brink Towards Disaster

What’s striking regarding this event was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens around the world could watch nearly in real time as it edged closer to disaster. However, the danger of destruction was more imminent than what most people realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike and an invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would've launched a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have sunk the naval vessels and sunk America's primary fleet. In turn, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to remain calm while engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone around them demanded military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was the sense of hope.

A Different Perspective

Yet, for those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following the crisis, with Nina being taught about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, describing it as a scary time," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly fine and positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion it was, as it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided a global war, which was a positive thing," she continues. In the years to come, however, that interpretation would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is remarkably even-handed and well produced that Nina jokes it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most significant aspect is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable for relatives of the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a symbol of progress.

"Max and I are not the first," notes Nina. "Following 1991, a relative moved to America where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we connected really well and we are friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years of almost destroying the world, our families are now friends, suggesting the world is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes and Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series feels so necessary is because we now are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to grasp