‘After almost annihilating our world, our families have become friends’: the thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, humanity came nearer toward ruin more so than ever in recent history. This occurred when an American reconnaissance plane identified that Russian atomic missile sites were under construction on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. In response, President JFK directed a naval task force to enact a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. What followed constituted nearly a fortnight filled with extreme tension.

An Unthinkable Danger

The danger remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a chain reaction involving worldwide nuclear attacks and counterstrikes might have ensued, thrusting mankind into total ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined extensively, through volumes, films, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought a novel element into the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the men that, for 13 days, grasped the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin planning? What was the American side thinking?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the show is its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can nations detest each other and confront each other?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular the fact that individuals can be allies or can become complete adversaries," states Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to JFK and currently an author and attorney. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where countries have gone to war, demonstrating the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice of Disaster

What is striking regarding this event is that, since it transpired so publicly, citizens globally were able to observe nearly as it happened while it edged closer to catastrophe. However, the danger of annihilation came closer than what anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba with the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would've sunk the aircraft carriers as well as sunk our primary naval force. And, we would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, they succeeded in remain calm and engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements around them demanded military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in Cuba and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of optimism.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following these events, with Nina being taught about it through the USSR's education system, which portrayed an alternative version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are always wonderful or sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was distinct. "They told me what a great occasion it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, though, that perspective was not shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

An Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably balanced and well produced that Nina quips it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, partly, due to the participation of historians. But, truly, the most significant thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Max. "Which is a shame because we connected immediately and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after almost 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our families are now allies, so I think the world is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes and Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we now are living in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to grasp