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

In the month of October 1962, humanity came nearer to annihilation more so than ever during recent history. This occurred after an American surveillance plane discovered that Soviet atomic missile bases were under construction on Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the United States. In response, President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval blockade around the island. What followed constituted almost two weeks of unbearable stress.

An Unthinkable Threat

The threat was clear. Should Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a cascade of global nuclear attacks followed by retaliatory strikes might have ensued, casting humanity into all-out ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered extensively, through volumes, movies, as well as TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought a novel element to this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the men who, for two tense weeks, held the fate of humanity in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin considering? What was the United States thinking?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor specializing in international affairs.

For her, the beauty of the show lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do people detest each other to the point they go against one another?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that people have the potential to be friends or have the potential to be total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently an author and attorney. "We see this over and over in instances where nations enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare."

The Brink of Catastrophe

What is remarkable about this event is that, since it unfolded so publicly, people around the world could watch nearly as it happened as it crept towards armageddon. Even so, the danger of destruction was more imminent than what most people realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've sunk the naval vessels and sunk our primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended most life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in exercise restraint while engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors in their governments demanded military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Divergent Perspective

Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was felt globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following these events, with Nina being taught about the crisis via the USSR's school curriculum, which painted a slightly different picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware a great deal about it, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system we were told that things are always wonderful and sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective 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, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. Later on, though, that perspective was not held by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying America."

An Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, in part, due to contributions from historians. But, really, the most momentous thing is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for descendants of the heads of state of the United States and the Soviet Union would appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a sign of optimism.

"We are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we got along really well and now we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become friends, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason this series feels so necessary is because we now find ourselves in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to comprehend