Following nearly annihilating the world, the families are allies’: a gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the world edged closer toward annihilation more so than ever in modern times. This occurred following the discovery that a US surveillance aircraft discovered that Russian nuclear missile installations were being assembled on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the US mainland. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to impose a naval blockade encircling the island. What followed constituted nearly two weeks of extreme tension.

The Unthinkable Threat

The threat was palpable. Should President Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a series of worldwide nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes could have ensued, casting mankind toward all-out ruination.

The October crisis has been covered extensively, in books, movies, as well as television programmes. However, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents a novel dimension into this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the figures who, for 13 days, held the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What was the Russians considering? What was Washington planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also a professor of global relations.

For her, the beauty of the show is its attempt to question: "How can nations hate each other and go against each other?"

"It was not lost on me how profound it is that people have the potential to be allies or else have the potential to be complete adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently an author and attorney. "History shows this dynamic over and over in instances where countries enter into conflict, demonstrating the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."

A Precipice of Disaster

What is remarkable regarding this event is that, because it unfolded so publicly, individuals globally could watch nearly in real time while it edged closer to catastrophe. Even so, the danger of annihilation came closer than what most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would've sunk our aircraft carriers and destroyed America's largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint while engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors around them were advocating action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed American missiles based in Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of optimism.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Still, for those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world in the years following the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it via the USSR's education system, which portrayed an alternative picture of what happened.

"You said your father recalls it, and it was a scary time," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly wonderful or positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment it was, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. Subsequently, 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 the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced and well produced so much so that Nina quips it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. But, truly, the most momentous aspect remains the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and USSR to appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, has to be a sign of progress.

"We are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame since we got along immediately and we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages have become allies, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes with Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason why this series seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to learn