‘After nearly destroying our planet, our relatives are friends’: a thrilling audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the planet came closer toward annihilation more so than ever in modern times. This transpired when a US surveillance aircraft discovered that Soviet nuclear weapon sites were being built in Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of American soil. In response, President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime blockade around the island. What followed constituted almost 14 days filled with extreme stress.

The Catastrophic Threat

The threat remained obvious. Should Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire on their enemy, a series involving global nuclear attacks and counterstrikes could have ensued, plunging mankind into all-out ruination.

The October crisis has been documented extensively, through volumes, movies, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents a novel element into the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the figures that, for two tense weeks, held the destiny of humanity in their hands.

"What were the Soviet side planning? What were the United States thinking?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also a professor of global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the show lies in its attempt to explore: "How can individuals detest each other and go against one another?"

"It struck me how profound it is that people have the potential to be allies or else can become complete adversaries," remarks Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and now a writer and attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly in instances where countries enter into conflict, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

A Brink of Disaster

What is remarkable about this event is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, people globally were able to observe nearly as it happened as it moved closer to armageddon. Even so, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than what most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for an airstrike and an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would've destroyed our naval vessels as well as sunk our primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, who managed to keep their heads and calmly negotiate when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the missiles from the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of optimism.

A Different Perspective

Yet, during those two weeks in October, the fear was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva learned about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which presented a slightly different narrative of events.

"You said 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 tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always fine and sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and avoided the war, which was a positive thing," she continues. In the years to come, though, that view was not shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , well produced that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of historians. But, really, the most groundbreaking thing is the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable for relatives of the heads of state of America and the USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"We aren't the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame because we got along immediately and now we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now friends, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Parallels with Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason why The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to learn