Following nearly annihilating the planet, our families are friends’: a thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, the planet came nearer to ruin more so than ever in recent history. This transpired following the discovery that an American surveillance plane identified the fact that Soviet nuclear missile sites were being built on Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime quarantine around Cuba. What followed constituted nearly two weeks of unbearable tension.

The Catastrophic Threat

The peril remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a series involving global atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes might have followed, casting humanity into all-out oblivion.

The October crisis has been documented extensively, through volumes, movies, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb introduces a novel perspective into this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the figures that, over two tense weeks, grasped the fate of humanity in their hands.

"What was the Soviet side planning? What was the American side thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic of global relations.

In her view, the unique appeal of the show is its attempt to explore: "Why do individuals hate each other to the point they go against each other?"

"It struck me how remarkable it is that individuals can be allies or can become complete enemies," states Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and currently a writer and attorney. "History shows this dynamic over and over in instances where nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to fight."

A Brink Towards Disaster

What’s notable regarding this event was that, since it transpired so publicly, citizens around the world could watch nearly in real time as it crept closer to disaster. Even so, the risk of destruction came closer than what most people understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would've sunk our naval vessels and destroyed our largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, who managed to keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements in their governments demanded action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism.

A Divergent Perspective

Yet, during those 13 days in October, the tension was palpable globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following the crisis, and Nina learned about the crisis via the USSR's education system, which presented an alternative narrative of events.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware a great deal about it, since it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are always wonderful and positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a positive thing," she adds. Subsequently, though, that perspective was not shared by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is so balanced , expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot the known the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most momentous thing is the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a sign of optimism.

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

"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Max. "That is unfortunate since we got along really well and now we’re friends, which is really great. Ultimately, after almost 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become allies, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Parallels and Present Dangers

Or is it? Part of why The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to comprehend