‘After almost destroying the world, the relatives have become friends’: the gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, the planet veered nearer toward destruction more so than ever during the contemporary era. This occurred following the discovery that a US surveillance aircraft found that Soviet nuclear missile bases were being assembled on Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK commanded a naval task force to enact a maritime blockade encircling the island. What followed was almost 14 days filled with extreme stress.

The Catastrophic Threat

The danger was palpable. If Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a series involving global atomic attacks followed by retaliatory strikes would have ensued, casting mankind into all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered repeatedly, through books, films, and TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb presents a novel perspective to the story. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the men that, over two tense weeks, grasped the fate of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Kremlin considering? What were the American side planning?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in global relations.

In her view, the strength of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "Why do people detest one another to the point they confront each other?"

"It struck me how profound the fact that humans can be allies or else have the potential to be complete adversaries," adds Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently a writer as well as attorney. "We see this repeatedly in instances where nations have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality it is to fight."

The Brink of Disaster

What is remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens around the world could watch nearly in real time as it crept closer to disaster. Even so, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than what most people understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, which would have obliterated our aircraft carriers and sunk America's largest and most important naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated with massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, they succeeded in exercise restraint while engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements in their governments demanded military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Still, for those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was palpable globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the USSR's school curriculum, which presented a slightly different picture of events.

"You said your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However 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 everything was constantly fine or positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion it was, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, seen as a positive thing," she adds. Subsequently, though, that perspective was not shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is remarkably balanced and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, in part, thanks to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most significant aspect remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable 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 exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a sign of hope.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," smiles Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame because we got along really well and we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, after almost six decades of almost destroying the world, our lineages are now friends, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of why this series feels so necessary is that we now are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to be able to comprehend