‘After nearly destroying the world, our families have become friends’: the gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, the planet veered nearer to annihilation than at any other point in recent history. This occurred after an American surveillance plane found that Soviet atomic weapon installations were under construction on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade around Cuba. The next phase was almost two weeks of impossible tension.

An Catastrophic Danger

The peril remained palpable. Should President Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a chain reaction involving worldwide atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes might have ensued, casting civilization into total ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined repeatedly, through volumes, films, and television programmes. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb introduces a completely new dimension into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the figures who, for 13 days, controlled the fate of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Soviet side planning? What were the United States considering?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and an academic specializing in global relations.

For her, the strength of the show lies in its endeavor to explore: "Why do nations hate each other to the point they confront one another?"

"It struck me how profound it is that people can be friends or have the potential to be complete adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and now a writer as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

A Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired so publicly, people globally could watch almost as it happened as it edged towards armageddon. Even so, the risk of destruction came closer than what most people realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by an invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, undoubtedly the Russians stationed there would have fired a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have destroyed our naval vessels and sunk America's largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to remain calm while calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements around them was pushing for military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American missiles based in Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by the sense of hope.

A Different Perspective

Yet, for those 13 days in October, the tension was palpable globally. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world shortly after these events, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the USSR's school curriculum, which presented an alternative picture of events.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, describing it as a scary day," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are always wonderful and positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, and didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she continues. Later on, however, that view would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and well produced that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union would appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"Max and I aren't the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame because we connected immediately and we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, following almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages are now allies, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Parallels with Present Perils

Or is it? Part of why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we once again find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to learn