Following nearly destroying our planet, the families have become allies’: the thrilling audio series featuring John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, humanity came nearer to ruin more so than ever in the contemporary era. This happened after a US surveillance plane identified the fact that Russian atomic weapon installations were being built on Cuba, less than 100 miles from the US mainland. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade encircling the island. What followed was nearly two weeks of extreme tension.

An Catastrophic Danger

The danger remained obvious. If President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a cascade involving worldwide nuclear strikes and counterstrikes might have ensued, thrusting mankind toward total destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered repeatedly, in volumes, films, as well as television programmes. However, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought a novel perspective into the story. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the men who, for 13 days, grasped the fate of humanity in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin considering? What were the American side planning?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and an academic of international affairs.

In her view, the strength of the show lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do people hate one another to the point they oppose each other?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that individuals can be friends or else have the potential to be total enemies," states Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently a writer as well as lawyer. "We see this repeatedly in instances where countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

A Brink Towards Catastrophe

What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired so publicly, people worldwide could watch almost in real time as it crept closer to catastrophe. Even so, the danger of annihilation came closer than what most people understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans with the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would have obliterated our aircraft carriers and destroyed our largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy when many advisors in their governments was pushing for military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by the sense of hope.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Still, for those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was palpable globally. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which presented a slightly different version of what happened.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly fine and positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, and didn’t start the war, seen as a wonderful thing," she adds. Later on, however, that perspective was not shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is so even-handed and well produced so much so that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, truly, the most significant thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of America and USSR to appear together publicly. That these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a sign of progress.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Max. "That is unfortunate since we connected immediately and now we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, after almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the world, our families have become friends, suggesting global relations is safer, somewhat."

Modern Echoes and Present Perils

Or is it? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is because we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to comprehend