Following nearly destroying the planet, the relatives have become friends’: a thrilling audio series from JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, humanity veered nearer toward ruin than at any other point during the contemporary era. This occurred following the discovery that a US surveillance aircraft identified that Russian atomic missile installations were being built in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to impose a maritime blockade around the island. What followed was nearly two weeks of unbearable stress.

An Catastrophic Threat

The danger remained clear. If Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a series of global nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes might have followed, casting humanity toward all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined extensively, in books, movies, and television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" introduces an unprecedented dimension to the story. The series is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the figures that, over two tense weeks, grasped the fate of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin considering? What were Washington considering?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast lies in its endeavor to question: "How can people hate one another and go against each other?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular the fact that humans can be friends or have the potential to be complete enemies," states Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently an author as well as lawyer. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

The Brink of Disaster

What is striking regarding this event is that, because it transpired so publicly, citizens worldwide were able to observe nearly as it happened while it edged towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the threat of destruction came closer than most people realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would've deployed a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've sunk the aircraft carriers and destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. And, the U.S. would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in remain calm while calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles from the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Divergent Perspective

Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after the crisis, with Khrushcheva learned about the crisis via the USSR's education system, which portrayed an alternative narrative of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a scary day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly wonderful or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it was a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, which was a positive thing," she adds. In the years to come, though, that perspective would not be held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably balanced and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, partly, due to contributions from historians. Yet, really, the most momentous thing remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for relatives of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of progress.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Nina. "After 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is a shame because we got along really well and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now allies, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Parallels and Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of why this series seems so urgent is because we now are living living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to grasp