‘After nearly destroying the world, our relatives have become friends’: the thrilling audio series featuring JFK & Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, the planet veered closer to annihilation than at any other point during modern times. This occurred following the discovery that an American surveillance plane identified that Russian atomic weapon bases were being assembled on Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to enact a naval blockade around the island. The ensuing period was nearly 14 days filled with unbearable tension.

An Catastrophic Danger

The threat remained clear. If President Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a cascade involving global nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes might have ensued, casting mankind toward total oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined endlessly, through books, movies, as well as TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" introduces an unprecedented perspective into the story. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the figures who, for 13 days, grasped the fate of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin considering? What was the United States considering?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and a professor of global relations.

In her view, the strength of the podcast lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "How can people detest each other to the point they oppose each other?"

"I am acutely aware how profound it is that people can be allies or can become total adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now an author and lawyer. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What is remarkable regarding this event was that, because it transpired so publicly, individuals around the world were able to observe almost as it happened while it crept towards catastrophe. Nonetheless, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than what most people realised.

"Almost all officials in the White House wanted an airstrike and an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would've obliterated our aircraft carriers as well as destroyed America's primary naval force. In turn, we would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, they succeeded in keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his missiles from Turkey. The relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following these events, with Nina learned about the crisis via the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different narrative of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, describing it as a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware 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 sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion it was, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and avoided a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Later on, though, that interpretation was not held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably balanced and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, in part, due to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most momentous aspect is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, has to be a sign of hope.

"We are not the first," notes Khrushcheva. "After 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame because we connected immediately and we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, following almost 60 years since almost destroying the world, our lineages are now allies, so I think the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Parallels and Present Dangers

Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we now find ourselves living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to be able to grasp