Following almost annihilating the world, the relatives are allies’: a thrilling audio series from JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, humanity came nearer to annihilation than at any other point during the contemporary era. This transpired when a US reconnaissance plane discovered that Russian nuclear missile bases were being built in Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of American soil. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to enact a naval blockade encircling the island. What followed constituted nearly two weeks of extreme stress.

An Catastrophic Threat

The danger remained obvious. If Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a chain reaction of global atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes would have ensued, thrusting civilization toward all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been covered endlessly, in books, movies, as well as TV documentaries. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb introduces an unprecedented element into the story. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the leaders that, for two tense weeks, held the destiny of the planet within their grasp.

"What was the Kremlin planning? What were Washington planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor specializing in global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast lies in its endeavor to question: "Why do individuals hate one another to the point they oppose each other?"

"I am acutely aware how profound the fact that individuals can be allies or else have the potential to be total adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

The Brink Towards Disaster

What is striking about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens worldwide could watch nearly in real time as it edged closer to catastrophe. However, the danger of destruction came closer than anybody realised.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike and an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would have launched a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've destroyed the aircraft carriers and destroyed America's primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended all life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, who managed to exercise restraint and calmly negotiate when many advisors in their governments were advocating action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by a feeling of optimism.

The Divergent Perspective

Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable globally. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following these events, with Khrushcheva learned about it via the USSR's education system, which portrayed a slightly different narrative of events.

"You said your parent remembers it, describing it as a scary day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know a great deal about it, because it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was constantly wonderful and positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided the war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. In the years to come, however, that interpretation would not be held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This effect is, partly, due to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most significant aspect is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the leaders of America and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, has to be a sign of progress.

"Max and I aren't the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative moved to America where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we connected really well and now we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following almost six decades since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages have become friends, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit."

Modern Echoes with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is that we now are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to grasp