Following nearly destroying the world, our families are friends’: a thrilling audio series from JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, humanity came closer to annihilation than at any other point during recent history. This happened when a US reconnaissance aircraft found the fact that Russian atomic weapon sites were being built on Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the US mainland. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime blockade encircling the island. The next phase constituted nearly 14 days of unbearable tension.

The Catastrophic Danger

The threat was clear. Should Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a cascade of worldwide atomic attacks and counterstrikes could have ensued, thrusting civilization toward total oblivion.

The October crisis has been covered repeatedly, in books, movies, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new dimension to the story. The series is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the figures that, over two tense weeks, held the fate of the world in their hands.

"What was the Kremlin planning? What was the United States thinking?" asks Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic of international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "How can individuals hate one another and oppose each other?"

"It struck me how spectacular the fact that people have the potential to be allies or else can become total enemies," states Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now an author and attorney. "History shows this over and over when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to fight."

A Precipice of Catastrophe

What is notable regarding this event was that, since it unfolded so publicly, citizens around the world could watch nearly in real time as it crept closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction was more imminent than most people realised.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would've launched a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would've sunk the aircraft carriers as well as sunk our primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, they succeeded in exercise restraint while calmly negotiate when hawkish elements in their governments demanded military action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of optimism.

The Different Viewpoint

Yet, during those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different version of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are always wonderful or sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and didn’t start the war, seen as a wonderful thing," she adds. Subsequently, however, that view was not held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying America."

An Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably balanced and expertly crafted so much so that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most momentous aspect remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"Max and I are not the first," notes Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame since we got along really well and we are friends, which is really great. Finally, after almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the world, our families are now allies, so I think global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Echoes and Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we once again find ourselves in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp