‘After nearly destroying our world, the families have become friends’: a gripping audio series from JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, the world veered closer toward annihilation than at any other point during the contemporary era. This occurred following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane discovered that Russian nuclear weapon sites were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period was almost two weeks filled with extreme anxiety.

The Catastrophic Danger

The danger was obvious. If Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a series of worldwide atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes might have followed, casting civilization toward all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered extensively, through books, movies, as well as TV documentaries. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" introduces a novel element into the story. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the figures who, over 13 days, held the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin thinking? What was the American side planning?" asks Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor specializing in global relations.

In her view, the strength of the podcast is its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do nations hate one another to the point they oppose each other?"

"I am acutely aware how remarkable it is that people can be allies or can become complete adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of the late president and now a writer as well as attorney. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where countries enter into conflict, highlighting the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice of Disaster

What’s notable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired so publicly, citizens around the world could watch almost as it happened as it moved towards disaster. Even so, the risk of destruction came closer than what anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba with the naval blockade, undoubtedly the Russians stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would have destroyed our naval vessels and sunk our largest and most important naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, they succeeded in keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors around them was pushing for action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by a feeling of optimism.

The Different Perspective

Still, for those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born in the years following the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the USSR's school curriculum, which presented a slightly different version of events.

"You said your father recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly fine or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, and avoided a global war, seen as a wonderful thing," she adds. Subsequently, though, that view would not be held by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so even-handed , expertly crafted that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This effect is, partly, due to contributions from renowned scholars. But, truly, the most groundbreaking thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for relatives of the leaders of America and the USSR to appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "Which is a shame since we connected immediately and we are friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following almost six decades since almost destroying the planet, our families are now allies, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Parallels with Current Dangers

Or is it? One reason the reason this series seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to be able to learn