‘After nearly destroying the planet, our families have become allies’: the gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the world came closer to ruin than at any other point in the contemporary era. This transpired when a US reconnaissance aircraft found the fact that Russian atomic missile bases were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered a naval task force to impose a maritime blockade encircling Cuba. The ensuing period was almost 14 days of unbearable anxiety.

An Unthinkable Danger

The danger remained obvious. If Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a cascade of worldwide nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes would have followed, thrusting humanity into total oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented extensively, in volumes, films, and television programmes. However, for its third season, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" introduces a novel dimension into this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the men that, for two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the world in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin planning? What were Washington thinking?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor of international affairs.

For her, the beauty of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "Why do individuals hate each other to the point they confront each other?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that people have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be complete enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to JFK and now an author as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

A Brink of Catastrophe

What is striking regarding this event was that, since it transpired so publicly, individuals worldwide could watch almost as it happened as it moved towards disaster. However, the danger of destruction was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians on the ground would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, which would've obliterated our aircraft carriers and sunk America's primary naval force. And, we would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, who succeeded in remain calm and engaging in diplomacy when everyone around them demanded action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles from Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was the sense of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Yet, during those two weeks in October, the fear was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva learned about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which painted a slightly different narrative of events.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening time," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that things are always wonderful and positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great moment it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Subsequently, however, that view was not held by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably balanced , expertly crafted that Nina jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, partly, due to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, 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 the USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"We aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "After 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Max. "That is unfortunate since we got along immediately and now we’re friends, something that is really great. Finally, following almost 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become allies, so I think global relations is safer, somewhat."

Modern Parallels and Present Perils

Or is it? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is because we once again are living in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since world leaders don’t seem to be able to grasp