Following almost annihilating our world, the relatives have become friends’: a gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, the planet veered nearer toward annihilation than at any other point during recent history. This occurred after a US surveillance aircraft discovered the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon installations were being assembled in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles from American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a naval blockade encircling Cuba. The next phase was nearly two weeks of impossible stress.

An Unthinkable Threat

The threat was clear. Should President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a chain reaction of global nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes would have ensued, plunging civilization toward total ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered extensively, through books, movies, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel element to this historical narrative. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the leaders who, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What was the Soviet side thinking? What were the American side thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic of international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the show is its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do individuals hate one another to the point they oppose each other?"

"I am acutely aware how remarkable it is that individuals can be friends or have the potential to be complete enemies," states Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently an author and attorney. "We see this dynamic over and over when countries enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What is striking about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, people around the world were able to observe nearly in real time as it moved closer to armageddon. Even so, the danger of destruction was more imminent than most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, which would've destroyed our naval vessels as well as sunk our largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have responded with massive retaliation that would have ended all life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when everyone around them demanded military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of hope.

A Different Viewpoint

Still, for those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was felt globally. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world in the years following the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which presented a slightly different picture of what happened.

"You said your parent remembers it, describing it as a scary time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was constantly fine and sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she continues. Subsequently, however, that view was not held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, partly, due to the participation of historians. But, truly, the most groundbreaking aspect remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of America and the USSR would appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of hope.

"Max and I aren't the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame since we got along really well and we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, following almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now allies, so I think global relations is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes with Current Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason why this series feels so necessary is because we now find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to comprehend