‘After nearly annihilating our world, our families have become friends’: the gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, the planet veered nearer toward ruin more so than ever during the contemporary era. This transpired after a US reconnaissance plane found the fact that Russian atomic weapon sites were being assembled in Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the United States. In response, U.S. President JFK ordered a naval task force to impose a naval blockade encircling Cuba. The next phase was nearly 14 days of extreme anxiety.

The Unthinkable Danger

The peril was obvious. Should President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes would have ensued, casting humanity toward all-out destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented endlessly, through volumes, movies, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel perspective into the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the men who, over 13 days, controlled the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What was the Kremlin thinking? What was the American side thinking?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and an academic specializing in global relations.

For her, the strength of the podcast lies in its endeavor to question: "How can individuals detest each other and oppose one another?"

"It struck me how profound the fact that humans have the potential to be friends or can become complete enemies," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now a writer as well as lawyer. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when nations have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality it is to fight."

The Brink Towards Catastrophe

What’s notable regarding this event was that, because it transpired so publicly, citizens worldwide were able to observe almost as it happened as it edged towards catastrophe. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction was more imminent than most people realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians stationed there would've fired a nuclear warhead against the American ships, which would've obliterated our aircraft carriers as well as destroyed our primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in remain calm while calmly negotiate when everyone around them was pushing for action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was the sense of hope.

A Different Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks in October, the fear was felt globally. The podcast's co-hosts were born in the years following these events, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which presented an alternative picture of events.

"You said your father recalls it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal about it, since it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly fine and positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, seen as a positive thing," she adds. Later on, though, that view would not be held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, partly, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant aspect is the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for descendants of the heads of state of America and USSR would appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, has to be a symbol of hope.

"We aren't the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we got along really well and we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages have become friends, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason why this series feels so necessary is that we now are living living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because world leaders don’t seem to be able to grasp