‘After almost annihilating the world, our relatives have become friends’: the thrilling audio series from JFK and Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the planet edged closer to annihilation more so than ever during modern times. This transpired when a US surveillance plane found the fact that Soviet nuclear missile installations were under construction on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from the United States. In response, President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval quarantine around Cuba. What followed constituted almost a fortnight filled with extreme tension.

An Catastrophic Threat

The danger was obvious. If Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a cascade of worldwide atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes could have followed, casting mankind into total destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, in books, movies, as well as TV documentaries. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel perspective into the story. The series is co-presented by Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the leaders who, for 13 days, held the destiny of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side planning? What were the American side considering?" asks Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic specializing in international affairs.

For her, the beauty of the show is its attempt to explore: "How can people detest each other and confront one another?"

"It struck me how spectacular the fact that humans can be allies or can become total enemies," remarks Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and currently an author as well as attorney. "We see this repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, highlighting the sheer folly involved to fight."

The Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, people globally were able to observe almost as it happened while it edged towards disaster. Even so, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than most people realised.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba using the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians stationed there would've launched a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would have destroyed our naval vessels and sunk our primary fleet. And, we would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in remain calm while engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of hope.

A Different Viewpoint

Still, for those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after these events, with Khrushcheva learned about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which painted an alternative picture of events.

"You said your father recalls it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are constantly fine and positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, it was distinct. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she continues. Later on, though, that perspective would not be held by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is so balanced , expertly crafted that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget the known outcome. This is, in part, due to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most momentous thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union to appear together publicly. That these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame since we connected really well and now we’re friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after nearly six decades since almost destroying the planet, our families are now allies, so I think global relations is safer, a little bit."

Modern Parallels with Current Dangers

Or is it? Part of why this series seems so urgent is because we once again are living living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to grasp