Following almost destroying the planet, our families have become friends’: the gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, the world edged nearer to ruin than at any other point in recent history. This happened when an American surveillance plane found that Russian atomic weapon bases were being built on the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval quarantine around the island. What followed was nearly 14 days of impossible anxiety.

An Catastrophic Threat

The danger was palpable. Should Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a series of worldwide atomic strikes and counterstrikes might have ensued, thrusting mankind toward total oblivion.

The October crisis has been covered endlessly, through books, films, and TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb presents a completely new perspective to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the figures who, for 13 days, controlled the fate of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin considering? What were the American side planning?" asks Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also a professor of global relations.

In her view, the unique appeal of the show lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do people hate one another and oppose one another?"

"It struck me how remarkable it is that individuals can be friends or can become complete enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and currently a writer as well as attorney. "We see this repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, highlighting the sheer folly it is to fight."

The Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What is striking about this event is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals worldwide could watch nearly in real time while it crept closer to disaster. However, the danger of destruction was more imminent than most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House wanted a military strike and an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would've obliterated our naval vessels as well as sunk our primary naval force. And, we would have responded through massive retaliation that would have ended most life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to remain calm and calmly negotiate when hawkish elements around them demanded action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed his similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Divergent Perspective

Yet, for those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born in the years following the crisis, and Khrushcheva learned about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which presented an alternative picture of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always fine or positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great moment for the USSR, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, and didn’t start a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she continues. Later on, though, that view was not shared by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most momentous thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union would appear together publicly. That these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of hope.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," adds Max. "That is unfortunate because we got along immediately and now we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, after almost 60 years since almost destroying the world, our families are now allies, so I think the world is safer, somewhat."

Modern Parallels and Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of why The Bomb feels so necessary is because we now are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend