‘After nearly destroying the planet, our relatives are friends’: a thrilling audio series from JFK and Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, the world edged closer toward annihilation more so than ever in modern times. This transpired following the discovery that a US surveillance aircraft found the fact that Russian nuclear weapon bases were being assembled in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK directed a naval task force to impose a maritime blockade around Cuba. What followed constituted almost a fortnight filled with unbearable stress.

An Catastrophic Danger

The danger remained palpable. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a cascade involving global atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes would have followed, plunging mankind toward total oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered endlessly, in volumes, movies, as well as television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought an unprecedented dimension into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the leaders who, over 13 days, grasped the fate of the world in their hands.

"What was the Russians considering? What was the American side planning?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor of global relations.

For her, the beauty of the podcast lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do nations hate each other and oppose one another?"

"It struck me how spectacular it is that humans can be allies or can become total enemies," remarks Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now an author and lawyer. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the sheer folly it is to fight."

A Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is striking regarding this event was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, people around the world could watch nearly in real time as it crept towards armageddon. Even so, the threat of destruction was more imminent than most people realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike and a ground invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would've destroyed our naval vessels and sunk our primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the missiles from the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed American similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was a feeling of hope.

A Different Viewpoint

Yet, during those two weeks in October, the fear was palpable globally. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which painted an alternative version of events.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware that much about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are always wonderful and positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed what a great occasion for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided the war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. In the years to come, though, that view was not shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This is, in part, due to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most momentous thing is the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm with each other, has to be a symbol of progress.

"We are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame since we got along immediately and now we’re friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now friends, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Current Perils

Or is it? One reason why this series seems so urgent is because we once again find ourselves in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to grasp