‘After nearly annihilating our planet, our families have become friends’: a gripping audio series from JFK and Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, humanity veered nearer toward destruction more so than ever in modern times. This happened when an American reconnaissance aircraft found that Soviet atomic weapon installations were being assembled on Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK ordered a naval task force to establish a maritime blockade around Cuba. The next phase constituted nearly 14 days of unbearable stress.

The Catastrophic Threat

The peril remained obvious. Should President Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a cascade of worldwide nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes would have ensued, plunging humanity into all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been covered repeatedly, in books, movies, as well as TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents a novel dimension to the story. It is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the figures who, for 13 days, grasped the destiny of the planet within their grasp.

"What was the Kremlin considering? What were the American side considering?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in global relations.

For her, the strength of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "How can nations hate each other and confront one another?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that humans have the potential to be friends or else can become complete adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and now an author and lawyer. "We see this dynamic over and over in instances where countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

A Precipice of Disaster

What’s striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded so publicly, citizens globally were able to observe almost in real time as it crept closer to catastrophe. Even so, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than what anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for an airstrike and an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would have fired a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, which would have obliterated our naval vessels as well as destroyed America's primary fleet. In turn, we would have responded through massive retaliation which would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, they succeeded in keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy when everyone around them was pushing for action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by the sense of optimism.

The Different Perspective

Still, for those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following these events, and Nina learned about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which presented an alternative narrative of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly fine or positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided the war, seen as a wonderful thing," she continues. Subsequently, though, that perspective was not held by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

An Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably balanced , well produced so much so that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most momentous thing remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable that descendants of the leaders of America and Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a symbol of hope.

"We are not the first," smiles 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 were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame because we got along immediately and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following almost 60 years since almost destroying the world, our lineages have become friends, so I think global relations is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we once again are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to comprehend