Following almost annihilating our planet, our relatives have become friends’: the gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, the planet came nearer toward ruin than at any other point in the contemporary era. This occurred after an American surveillance aircraft identified that Russian atomic missile sites were being built on Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from American soil. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to impose a naval quarantine around the island. The next phase was nearly a fortnight of impossible stress.

The Unthinkable Threat

The peril remained obvious. Should President Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes might have followed, casting humanity toward total oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered repeatedly, in books, films, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel element into this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the leaders that, over 13 days, grasped the fate of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Soviet side planning? What was the United States thinking?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and a professor specializing in international affairs.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "Why do individuals hate one another and go against one another?"

"I am acutely aware how profound it is that individuals have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be total adversaries," remarks Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and now a writer as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic over and over when countries enter into conflict, demonstrating the profound irrationality it is to fight."

A Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What is notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, people worldwide could watch nearly as it happened while it crept towards catastrophe. However, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike and a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would have sunk our naval vessels as well as destroyed America's largest and most important naval force. And, we would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint while calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements around them was pushing for action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles in the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American missiles based in Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was the sense of optimism.

The Divergent Perspective

Yet, during those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable globally. The podcast's co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, and Nina learned about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which presented a slightly different picture of events.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was always wonderful and positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it was a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, which was a positive outcome," she continues. Subsequently, however, that interpretation was not held by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably balanced and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most momentous thing is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of America and the USSR would appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.

"We aren't the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America and formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met before the podcast," adds Max. "Which is a shame since we connected really well and we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, following nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages are now friends, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Parallels and Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of why this series seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp