Following almost annihilating the world, the families are allies’: a thrilling audio series from JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, the planet edged nearer toward annihilation more so than ever during recent history. This transpired following the discovery that an American surveillance aircraft identified the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon installations were being assembled in the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade around the island. What followed constituted nearly 14 days filled with extreme tension.

The Catastrophic Danger

The danger was palpable. Should President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a chain reaction involving global atomic attacks and counterstrikes could have ensued, thrusting humanity toward all-out destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined endlessly, in books, movies, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" introduces a novel perspective to the story. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the men that, for two tense weeks, held the fate of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Soviet side planning? What was the United States thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also an academic of global relations.

For her, the strength of the show lies in its attempt to explore: "How can people detest each other to the point they go against each other?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that people have the potential to be friends or else have the potential to be complete adversaries," remarks Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently a writer as well as attorney. "We see this repeatedly when nations have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice of Catastrophe

What is notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals around the world were able to observe almost as it happened while it crept closer to catastrophe. Even so, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Almost all officials in the White House wanted a military strike and an invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, which would've obliterated the naval vessels as well as destroyed America's primary fleet. And, we would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads and calmly negotiate when hawkish elements around them demanded military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew American similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was a feeling of optimism.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Still, for those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva learned about it via the USSR's education system, which painted a slightly different picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are always wonderful or positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was different. "They told me what a great occasion it was, because it was a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, and didn’t start a global war, which was a positive outcome," she continues. Later on, however, that view would not be held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably even-handed and well produced so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of historians. But, really, the most momentous aspect is the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of America and the Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of progress.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," notes 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. "That is a shame since we connected immediately and we are friends, which is really great. Finally, after almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages are now friends, so I think the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Parallels with Current Perils

Or is it? Part of why The Bomb feels so necessary is because we now find ourselves in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn