Following almost destroying the world, our families have become allies’: the gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, humanity edged nearer toward annihilation than at any other point in recent history. This occurred when a US reconnaissance plane identified that Russian atomic weapon installations were being built in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime blockade around Cuba. The next phase was almost 14 days filled with impossible stress.

The Unthinkable Danger

The peril was palpable. If President Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a series of global nuclear strikes and counterstrikes might have ensued, thrusting humanity into all-out ruination.

The October crisis has been examined extensively, through books, movies, as well as TV documentaries. However, for its third season, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents a novel element to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the men who, for 13 days, grasped the fate of the world in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin thinking? What were the United States planning?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also a professor of international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast lies in its attempt to explore: "Why do people detest one another and go against each other?"

"It was not lost on me how spectacular the fact that individuals can be allies or can become complete adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this over and over when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality involved to fight."

A Brink of Catastrophe

What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, individuals worldwide could watch nearly in real time while it moved towards catastrophe. However, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than what most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would have sunk our aircraft carriers and destroyed our primary naval force. And, we would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, who managed to exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors in their governments demanded action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable globally. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following the crisis, and Nina learned about the crisis via the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different picture of what happened.

"You said your father remembers it, describing it as a frightening time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are always fine and positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, because it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, and avoided a global war, seen as a positive thing," she continues. In the years to come, however, that view would not be shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced and expertly crafted that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable 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 are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of progress.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we got along immediately and we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, following almost 60 years of almost destroying the world, our lineages are now friends, so I think the world is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes with Present Dangers

Or is it? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to grasp