Following nearly destroying our world, our relatives are friends’: a thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, the world veered nearer to destruction than at any other point during the contemporary era. This occurred following the discovery that an American reconnaissance aircraft discovered that Soviet nuclear missile sites were under construction on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK directed a naval task force to establish a naval blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period was almost two weeks filled with unbearable anxiety.

The Catastrophic Threat

The threat was palpable. If President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a series involving global nuclear attacks and counterstrikes would have ensued, plunging humanity into total ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented endlessly, through volumes, movies, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought an unprecedented dimension to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the figures who, over two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What was the Soviet side thinking? What were Washington thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and an academic specializing in international affairs.

For her, the strength of the podcast lies in its attempt to question: "Why do individuals detest one another to the point they oppose one another?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable the fact that people have the potential to be allies or else have the potential to be complete adversaries," remarks Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now an author and attorney. "We see this repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."

A Brink of Disaster

What is notable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded so publicly, people worldwide were able to observe nearly as it happened while it crept closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than what anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, undoubtedly the Russians stationed there would have deployed a nuclear warhead against the American ships, which would have sunk the aircraft carriers as well as destroyed our largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, they succeeded in exercise restraint while calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements around them were advocating action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew American missiles from Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of hope.

A Divergent Perspective

Still, for those 13 days in October, the fear was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world in the years following these events, and Nina learned about it via the Soviet education system, which presented an alternative version of events.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a scary day," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that things are constantly wonderful and sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus avoided the war, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. Later on, however, that interpretation was not shared by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up America."

An Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot the known outcome. This effect is, partly, due to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most momentous aspect is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a sign of progress.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, a relative moved to America and formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate since we connected really well and now we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, following nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages have become allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Parallels with Current Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of why this series feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to learn