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

In October 1962, humanity veered nearer to destruction than at any other point during recent history. This occurred when a US reconnaissance aircraft discovered the fact that Soviet nuclear missile sites were under construction in Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to enact a naval blockade encircling the island. What followed constituted almost a fortnight filled with extreme tension.

An Unthinkable Danger

The threat remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear attacks and counterstrikes could have followed, thrusting humanity into all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined endlessly, through books, films, and television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb introduces an unprecedented dimension to the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the men who, over 13 days, controlled the destiny of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin planning? What were the United States thinking?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic of global relations.

In her view, the strength of the show lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do individuals hate each other to the point they go against each other?"

"It struck me how profound the fact that humans can be allies or else can become complete enemies," adds Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and now a writer as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic over and over when nations enter into conflict, highlighting the sheer folly involved to fight."

A Precipice Towards Disaster

What is notable about this event was that, because it transpired so publicly, individuals around the world could watch nearly as it happened while it crept closer to disaster. Even so, the risk of destruction came closer than most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike and a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans using the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've obliterated our aircraft carriers and destroyed America's largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated with massive retaliation which would have ended most life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, who managed to remain calm and calmly negotiate when many advisors around them were advocating military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by the sense of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Yet, during those two weeks in October, the fear was palpable globally. The podcast's co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, with Nina learned about the crisis via the Soviet education system, which presented an alternative narrative of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are always fine and positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a positive thing," she continues. Later on, however, that view would not be held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is remarkably even-handed and well produced that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. Yet, really, the most groundbreaking thing remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable for descendants of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of hope.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America and formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate because we got along immediately and now we are friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the world, our lineages have become allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Parallels and Current Perils

Or is it? Part of why The Bomb feels so necessary is because we now are living living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since world leaders appear not to be able to grasp