‘After nearly annihilating the world, our relatives are friends’: a thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, the world came nearer toward ruin more so than ever during modern times. This happened after an American reconnaissance aircraft discovered that Soviet atomic missile sites were under construction on Cuba, a mere 100 miles from American soil. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. The next phase constituted nearly two weeks filled with extreme anxiety.

An Catastrophic Threat

The danger was clear. If Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a series of worldwide atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes could have followed, casting mankind toward all-out oblivion.

The October crisis has been documented repeatedly, in volumes, movies, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb introduces an unprecedented element to this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the leaders that, over 13 days, grasped the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side planning? What was the United States planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also an academic of international affairs.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its attempt to explore: "How can nations detest one another to the point they go against each other?"

"It struck me how remarkable the fact that humans have the potential to be friends or have the potential to be complete enemies," adds Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now a writer and lawyer. "We see this dynamic over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, demonstrating the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

The Brink Towards Catastrophe

What’s notable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals globally were able to observe almost as it happened while it crept closer to disaster. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation came closer than anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would have deployed a nuclear warhead against the American ships, and that would've destroyed the naval vessels as well as sunk America's primary fleet. And, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy when everyone in their governments demanded action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the missiles from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of optimism.

A Different Perspective

Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was palpable by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world in the years following these events, with Nina being taught about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which presented an alternative version of what happened.

"You said your parent remembers it, describing it as a scary day," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know a great deal about it, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always fine and sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, and didn’t start the war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she continues. Later on, though, that interpretation would not be held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is so balanced and expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, partly, due to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most momentous aspect is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of hope.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame because we got along immediately and now we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, after nearly six decades of nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now friends, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to be able to comprehend