Following nearly annihilating our world, the relatives are allies’: a thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, the planet came nearer toward destruction than at any other point during the contemporary era. This occurred following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft discovered the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon sites were under construction in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to establish a maritime quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period was almost two weeks of unbearable stress.

The Unthinkable Threat

The peril was obvious. If Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a cascade involving worldwide atomic attacks followed by retaliatory strikes might have ensued, thrusting mankind toward all-out oblivion.

The October crisis has been covered extensively, through books, movies, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb introduces a novel dimension into the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the men that, for two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Russians thinking? What was the United States considering?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic of global relations.

In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do nations detest each other and confront one another?"

"It was not lost on me how profound it is that individuals have the potential to be allies or else can become complete adversaries," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently an author and attorney. "We see this repeatedly in instances where countries enter into conflict, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What’s remarkable regarding this event is that, because it unfolded so publicly, citizens around the world could watch almost in real time while it edged closer to disaster. However, the danger of destruction came closer than most people understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike and an invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would've obliterated our aircraft carriers as well as sunk our primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have ended most life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, who succeeded in keep their heads while calmly negotiate when everyone around them was pushing for military action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by the sense of hope.

A Divergent Perspective

Still, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world in the years following the crisis, and Nina being taught about the crisis via the USSR's school curriculum, which painted an alternative version of events.

"You said your parent remembers it, describing it as a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that things are constantly fine or positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, it was different. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided the war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. Subsequently, however, that view was not held by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably balanced , expertly crafted so much so that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and USSR would appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a sign of progress.

"We aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we had never met before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame because we got along really well and we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, after almost 60 years of almost destroying the world, our lineages have become allies, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Present Perils

Or is it? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is that we now are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to learn