‘After nearly annihilating our world, the families have become allies’: a gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, humanity came closer toward annihilation more so than ever during recent history. This occurred after a US surveillance plane discovered the fact that Soviet atomic weapon sites were under construction in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the United States. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to enact a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period constituted almost 14 days filled with extreme tension.

The Catastrophic Threat

The peril was clear. Should Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a series involving worldwide atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes would have ensued, thrusting humanity toward all-out oblivion.

The October crisis has been documented repeatedly, through volumes, movies, and TV documentaries. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb presents an unprecedented perspective to this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the leaders that, over 13 days, held the fate of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side considering? What was the United States planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in global relations.

For her, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "How can people detest one another and oppose each other?"

"It struck me how spectacular the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or else can become total adversaries," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and now a writer and attorney. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

The Brink of Disaster

What’s notable about this event is that, because it unfolded so publicly, people globally could watch nearly as it happened while it crept closer to catastrophe. However, the danger of destruction was more imminent than what most people realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike and an invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have obliterated our aircraft carriers as well as destroyed our primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated with massive retaliation which would have ended all life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, who succeeded in keep their heads while calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was the sense of optimism.

The Different Viewpoint

Still, for those 13 days in October, the anxiety was palpable globally. The podcast's co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, and Nina learned about it through the Soviet education system, which painted a slightly different version of events.

"You said your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always fine and positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, it was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment it was, as it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided a global war, which was a positive thing," she adds. In the years to come, though, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , well produced that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This is, partly, due to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most significant thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for descendants of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union to appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of hope.

"We aren't the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we connected immediately and we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now allies, so I think the world is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is that we now are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn