Following nearly destroying our planet, the relatives are allies’: the gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, humanity edged closer to ruin more so than ever in the contemporary era. This occurred after an American reconnaissance aircraft identified the fact that Russian atomic weapon sites were under construction in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the US mainland. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a naval blockade around the island. The next phase constituted nearly a fortnight filled with unbearable tension.

An Unthinkable Threat

The peril remained palpable. If Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes could have followed, casting civilization toward total oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, through books, films, as well as television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought an unprecedented element to this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the leaders that, over 13 days, held the fate of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Soviet side planning? What was the American side thinking?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in global relations.

For her, the unique appeal of the show lies in its attempt to question: "Why do people detest one another to the point they confront one another?"

"It struck me how spectacular the fact that individuals can be friends or else can become complete enemies," adds Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to JFK and currently a writer as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly in instances where nations enter into conflict, highlighting the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What is striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it transpired so publicly, people worldwide were able to observe almost as it happened as it crept towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the risk of destruction was more imminent than what anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians on the ground would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would have sunk the naval vessels as well as sunk our primary fleet. And, we would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, who managed to remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments demanded military action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by the sense of hope.

The Different Perspective

Yet, during those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which presented an alternative picture of events.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a scary day," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly fine and sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, as it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, and avoided the war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. In the years to come, however, that perspective would not be held by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a setback for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so balanced , well produced that Nina jokes it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, truly, the most significant aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of America and the USSR would appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a sign of optimism.

"We aren't the first," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame since we connected really well and we are friends, which is really great. Finally, following almost 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become allies, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Echoes with Present Perils

Or is it? Part of why The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to be able to comprehend