‘After almost annihilating the planet, the families are allies’: the gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, humanity edged nearer toward ruin more so than ever during the contemporary era. This occurred after an American reconnaissance plane discovered that Soviet nuclear missile installations were being assembled in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK directed a naval task force to impose a maritime blockade encircling Cuba. The ensuing period constituted nearly a fortnight filled with extreme tension.

An Unthinkable Threat

The peril was obvious. Should Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a series of worldwide atomic attacks followed by retaliatory strikes might have ensued, plunging mankind into total destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined endlessly, through books, movies, and TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel perspective to the story. The series is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the leaders who, for two tense weeks, held the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Russians considering? What was Washington thinking?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor of global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the show is its attempt to explore: "How can individuals detest one another and oppose one another?"

"I am acutely aware how profound it is that individuals have the potential to be friends or have the potential to be total adversaries," states Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now an author as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

A Brink of Disaster

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded so publicly, citizens globally could watch almost in real time while it edged closer to catastrophe. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than what anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike followed by an invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, undoubtedly the Russians stationed there would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, which would've obliterated our naval vessels as well as destroyed our primary naval force. In turn, we would have responded through massive retaliation that would have ended all life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in keep their heads and calmly negotiate when hawkish elements in their governments demanded action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of hope.

A Divergent Perspective

Still, during those two weeks in October, the fear was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it via the USSR's education system, which presented an alternative version of events.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, describing it as a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly wonderful and positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, and didn’t start a global war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. In the years to come, however, that view was not held by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and well produced so much so that Nina quips it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of historians. But, really, the most momentous thing is the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union to appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "After 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we connected really well and we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now allies, so I think global relations is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes with Present Perils

Or is it? Part of the reason this series feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn