‘After nearly annihilating our planet, our families have become friends’: the gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, humanity came nearer to annihilation than at any other point during recent history. This occurred after an American surveillance aircraft identified the fact that Russian atomic missile installations were being built on the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the US mainland. In response, President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval quarantine encircling the island. The ensuing period constituted nearly 14 days filled with unbearable tension.

An Unthinkable Danger

The danger was obvious. If President Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a series involving global atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes might have followed, thrusting mankind toward total destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined repeatedly, through books, movies, and television programmes. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb introduces a completely new element into this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the men who, over 13 days, grasped the fate of the planet within their grasp.

"What was the Kremlin planning? What was Washington considering?" asks Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and a professor of global relations.

For her, the strength of the podcast lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do individuals hate one another to the point they oppose each other?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that individuals have the potential to be friends or else have the potential to be complete enemies," states Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently an author and attorney. "We see this over and over when countries have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

The Precipice of Disaster

What is striking about this event was that, since it unfolded so publicly, citizens globally were able to observe nearly in real time as it crept towards catastrophe. Nonetheless, the risk of destruction came closer than anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted a military strike followed by an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly the Russians stationed there would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would've obliterated our aircraft carriers and destroyed our largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, they managed to remain calm and engaging in diplomacy when many advisors in their governments was pushing for military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Yet, during those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was palpable globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva learned about it via the Soviet education system, which portrayed a slightly different picture of events.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a scary day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are always fine and positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided the war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. Subsequently, though, that view would not be shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and well produced that Nina quips she nearly forgot the known the ending. This effect is, partly, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. But, truly, the most momentous aspect is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable that descendants of the leaders of America and USSR to appear together publicly. That these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"We aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame since we connected immediately and we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, after nearly six decades of almost destroying the planet, our families are now friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Parallels and Current Perils

Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to grasp