‘After almost annihilating the planet, our relatives are allies’: the thrilling audio series featuring John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, the planet edged nearer to destruction than at any other point during recent history. This transpired when an American surveillance aircraft identified the fact that Russian atomic missile installations 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 ordered a naval task force to impose a naval blockade around the island. The next phase was nearly a fortnight of unbearable anxiety.

An Unthinkable Danger

The danger remained palpable. Should Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a series of global nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes might have followed, casting humanity into total ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented endlessly, through volumes, films, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb presents a completely new perspective into the story. The series is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the men who, over 13 days, grasped the fate of humanity in their hands.

"What were the Soviet side considering? What were the American side considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor of international affairs.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its attempt to explore: "How can people hate each other to the point they confront one another?"

"I am acutely aware how profound the fact that humans can be friends or else have the potential to be total adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now an author and attorney. "We see this dynamic over and over in instances where nations enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly it is to fight."

The Precipice of Catastrophe

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens worldwide were able to observe almost as it happened while it edged towards disaster. Even so, the danger of annihilation came closer than what anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted a military strike and an invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians on the ground would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would've sunk our aircraft carriers and destroyed America's primary naval force. In turn, we would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, who succeeded in keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements around them was pushing for military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his missiles from Turkey. The relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, for those two weeks in October, the fear was palpable globally. The podcast's presenters were born shortly after these events, with Khrushcheva being taught about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which painted an alternative narrative of events.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know a great deal about it, since it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was constantly wonderful and positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion it was, as it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, and didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. In the years to come, however, that perspective was not shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, partly, due to contributions from historians. Yet, really, the most momentous thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable for descendants of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a sign of hope.

"We are not the first," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," adds Max. "Which is a shame because we got along immediately and now we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, following nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now friends, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Present Perils

Or is it? One reason the reason this series seems so urgent is because we once again are living living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to grasp