Following nearly destroying our planet, the relatives have become friends’: a thrilling audio series featuring JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the world edged nearer to annihilation more so than ever in the contemporary era. This occurred after a US surveillance plane discovered the fact that Russian atomic weapon bases were being built in Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the United States. In response, President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime quarantine around the island. The ensuing period was almost two weeks filled with extreme stress.

An Unthinkable Danger

The danger was obvious. Should President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a cascade of global nuclear attacks followed by retaliatory strikes would have followed, plunging mankind toward total oblivion.

The October crisis has been covered extensively, through books, films, as well as TV documentaries. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb introduces an unprecedented element into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the leaders that, over two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of humanity in their hands.

"What were the Russians considering? What were Washington thinking?" 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 question: "Why do people hate one another and confront one another?"

"It was not lost on me how profound the fact that individuals can be friends or can become total adversaries," states Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to the late president and currently an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, demonstrating the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare."

A Precipice Towards Disaster

What’s striking about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired so publicly, individuals globally were able to observe nearly as it happened while it edged closer to catastrophe. Even so, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would've destroyed our aircraft carriers and destroyed our primary fleet. In turn, we would have responded through massive retaliation which would have ended all life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, who managed to remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors in their governments demanded action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew his similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by the sense of optimism.

The Different Perspective

Yet, during those 13 days in October, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world shortly after these events, with Nina learned about it through the USSR's education system, which portrayed an alternative picture of what happened.

"You said your father recalls it, describing it as a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that things are always wonderful or positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start the war, which was a positive thing," she continues. Later on, however, that interpretation would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying America."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is remarkably even-handed and well produced so much so that Nina quips it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most significant aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of America and the USSR would appear together publicly. 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 progress.

"We aren't the first," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we got along really well and now we’re friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following nearly six decades of nearly annihilating the world, our families have become allies, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels and Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of why The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to learn