‘After nearly destroying our planet, our families are allies’: the thrilling audio series featuring JFK and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, the planet edged nearer to ruin than at any other point in the contemporary era. This occurred when a US surveillance aircraft discovered the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon installations were being assembled on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to impose a maritime blockade around Cuba. The next phase was almost a fortnight of unbearable anxiety.

The Unthinkable Danger

The peril remained palpable. Should Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a chain reaction involving worldwide atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes might have ensued, plunging humanity into total ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined extensively, in books, movies, and television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new dimension into the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the men that, for two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What was the Russians considering? What was the United States planning?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and a professor of international affairs.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its attempt to explore: "Why do nations hate one another to the point they oppose one another?"

"It struck me how profound the fact that individuals have the potential to be friends or else have the potential to be complete enemies," adds Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently a writer as well as attorney. "History shows this over and over in instances where nations enter into conflict, demonstrating the profound irrationality involved to fight."

The Precipice of Disaster

What’s notable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired so publicly, people worldwide were able to observe nearly as it happened while it moved towards armageddon. However, 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 Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba using the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians on the ground would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would've obliterated our naval vessels as well as sunk our primary fleet. In turn, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, they managed to keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors in their governments was pushing for action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew his missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Divergent Perspective

Yet, during those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, with Nina being taught about it via the Soviet education system, which painted a slightly different picture of events.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system we were told that things are constantly fine and positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, as it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a positive thing," she adds. In the years to come, though, that perspective would not be shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America."

An Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of historians. But, truly, the most groundbreaking thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that descendants of the leaders of America and Soviet Union to appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a sign of progress.

"Max and I aren't the first," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we got along really well and now we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years of nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now allies, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes with Present Perils

Or is it? One reason the reason this series feels so necessary is that we once again are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to learn