‘After almost annihilating our planet, our families are friends’: a gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, humanity veered nearer toward destruction more so than ever in the contemporary era. This happened following the discovery that a US reconnaissance plane discovered the fact that Russian nuclear missile installations were being built in the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK directed a naval task force to enact a maritime blockade encircling the island. The next phase was almost 14 days filled with impossible tension.

The Unthinkable Danger

The peril was obvious. Should President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a chain reaction of worldwide atomic attacks and retaliatory strikes could have ensued, casting humanity toward total ruination.

The October crisis has been covered repeatedly, in volumes, films, and television programmes. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a completely new perspective to this historical narrative. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the leaders who, for two tense weeks, held the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side thinking? What was Washington considering?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and a professor specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the unique appeal of the show lies in its attempt to question: "How can individuals detest one another to the point they go against each other?"

"I am acutely aware how profound it is that individuals have the potential to be friends or else can become complete enemies," adds Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

A Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What is notable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded so publicly, citizens worldwide were able to observe almost in real time while it edged closer to catastrophe. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've obliterated the naval vessels as well as sunk America's primary fleet. In turn, we would have responded through massive retaliation which would have ended most life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, who succeeded in exercise restraint while calmly negotiate when many advisors in their governments was pushing for action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Divergent Perspective

Yet, during those 13 days in October, the tension was felt globally. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after these events, and Nina being taught about the crisis through the USSR's school curriculum, which painted an alternative picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, describing it as a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know a great deal about it, because it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was always fine and positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, as it was a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, and avoided the war, seen as a positive thing," she adds. In the years to come, though, that perspective was not held by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable for descendants of the leaders of America and USSR to appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we had never met before the podcast," adds Max. "That is a shame because we connected immediately and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages have become allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Parallels with Current Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we once again are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe in its history, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to learn