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

During October 1962, humanity edged nearer to destruction more so than ever during modern times. This transpired following the discovery that an American surveillance aircraft identified that Russian nuclear missile sites were being built in Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period was nearly 14 days filled with impossible tension.

An Unthinkable Threat

The peril remained obvious. Should President Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a series involving global atomic strikes and counterstrikes could have followed, thrusting mankind toward total ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined repeatedly, in volumes, movies, and television programmes. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb introduces an unprecedented element to the story. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the men who, over 13 days, grasped the fate of the world in their hands.

"What was the Russians considering? What were the American side considering?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also a professor of global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the show is its endeavor to explore: "Why do nations detest each other and confront each other?"

"I am acutely aware how remarkable the fact that people can be allies or else can become complete adversaries," states Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently a writer and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic over and over when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice of Disaster

What is notable regarding this event was that, because it transpired so publicly, citizens around the world could watch nearly in real time as it moved closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the risk of destruction came closer than anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike and a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans using the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would've deployed a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would've sunk our aircraft carriers and destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. And, we would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, who managed to remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors around them was pushing for military action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles from Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed American missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following these events, and Nina learned about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which presented a slightly different picture of events.

"You said your father remembers it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware a great deal about it, since it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always wonderful or positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed what a great occasion for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. In the years to come, though, that perspective was not held by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is so even-handed and well produced that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. But, truly, the most momentous aspect remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of the United States and the Soviet Union to appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"Max and I aren't 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."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Max. "That is unfortunate because we got along immediately and we are friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, following almost six decades of nearly annihilating the world, our lineages have become allies, suggesting the world is safer, somewhat."

Modern Echoes and Present Perils

Or is it? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to comprehend