Following almost annihilating the planet, our relatives have become allies’: the gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, humanity came closer toward destruction more so than ever in the contemporary era. This happened when a US surveillance aircraft identified that Russian atomic weapon installations were being built on the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the United States. In response, President JFK commanded a naval task force to enact a maritime quarantine around Cuba. What followed was almost 14 days of impossible stress.

The Unthinkable Danger

The peril was obvious. If President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a chain reaction of global atomic attacks followed by retaliatory strikes might have ensued, casting mankind toward total destruction.

The October crisis has been documented endlessly, in volumes, films, as well as TV documentaries. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb presents a completely new dimension into the story. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the men who, over 13 days, held the destiny of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin planning? What was the American side thinking?" asks Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor of global relations.

For her, the unique appeal of the show lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can individuals detest each other and go against each other?"

"I am acutely aware how profound the fact that individuals can be allies or else can become total adversaries," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now a writer as well as lawyer. "We see this over and over when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid it is to engage in warfare."

A Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What is remarkable about this event is that, since it transpired so publicly, citizens worldwide were able to observe almost in real time while it moved towards armageddon. Even so, the threat of annihilation came closer than most people realised.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for an airstrike and a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would have launched a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would have sunk our naval vessels and destroyed America's largest and most important naval force. And, we would have retaliated with massive retaliation which would have ended most life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in exercise restraint while calmly negotiate when many advisors in their governments were advocating action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of optimism.

The Different Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks in October, the fear was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, with Nina being taught about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which portrayed a slightly different narrative of events.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, describing it as a scary time," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal about it, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly wonderful or sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, and avoided the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Subsequently, however, that perspective would not be shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably balanced and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget the known outcome. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, truly, the most momentous thing is the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of America and USSR to appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"We are not the first," smiles Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "That is unfortunate since we got along really well and we are friends, which is really great. Finally, after nearly 60 years of almost destroying the world, our lineages are now allies, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Present Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is that we now are living living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders don’t seem to be able to comprehend