Following nearly annihilating our planet, the families are friends’: the gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, humanity edged closer toward annihilation than at any other point in the contemporary era. This transpired following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane identified the fact that Soviet atomic weapon bases were being built in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime blockade encircling the island. What followed constituted nearly 14 days filled with impossible stress.

The Catastrophic Threat

The threat remained palpable. If President Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a chain reaction involving global nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes would have ensued, plunging civilization into total ruination.

The October crisis has been documented endlessly, through books, films, as well as TV documentaries. However, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel element to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the men that, for two tense weeks, held the destiny of humanity within their grasp.

"What was the Kremlin planning? What were the United States thinking?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor of global relations.

In her view, the strength of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "How can nations detest one another and go against each other?"

"It was not lost on me how profound it is that humans can be friends or have the potential to be complete enemies," states Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and now a writer as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, highlighting the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare."

The Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is striking about this event is that, because it transpired so publicly, citizens globally were able to observe almost in real time as it moved closer to catastrophe. However, the risk of destruction was more imminent than what anybody realised.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for an airstrike followed by an invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as destroyed America's primary naval force. And, we would have retaliated with massive retaliation which would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy when everyone in their governments was pushing for action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following these events, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which portrayed a slightly different version of what happened.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a scary day," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that things are constantly fine or sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. Subsequently, however, that perspective was not held by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is so balanced and well produced that Nina quips she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most significant aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the leaders of America and Soviet Union 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 optimism.

"We aren't the pioneers," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate since we got along really well and now we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following almost 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our families are now friends, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit."

Modern Parallels and Present Perils

Or is it? One reason the reason this series seems so urgent is that we once again are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp