‘After nearly destroying our planet, the families have become friends’: the thrilling audio series featuring John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, humanity veered closer to annihilation than at any other point in the contemporary era. This occurred when a US reconnaissance plane identified the fact that Soviet atomic weapon bases were under construction in Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the US mainland. In response, U.S. President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime blockade encircling the island. The ensuing period constituted almost two weeks filled with extreme stress.

An Unthinkable Danger

The threat was clear. Should Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a chain reaction involving worldwide nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes could have ensued, casting mankind toward total oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered repeatedly, through books, films, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented element into this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the leaders that, over two tense weeks, held the fate of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Russians thinking? What was the American side thinking?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do people detest one another and confront one another?"

"It struck me how remarkable it is that individuals can be allies or else have the potential to be complete enemies," states Max Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of the late president and now a writer as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic over and over when countries have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

The Brink Towards Disaster

What is notable about this event is that, since it transpired so publicly, citizens worldwide were able to observe almost in real time as it crept towards disaster. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would've launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, and that would have obliterated the aircraft carriers and sunk America's primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have retaliated with massive retaliation which would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy when many advisors around them were advocating action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his missiles from Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by the sense of optimism.

The Different Perspective

Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the Soviet education system, which portrayed an alternative version of events.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was constantly wonderful or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it was a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, and didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. Subsequently, though, that perspective was not shared by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up America."

An Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot the known outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most significant thing is the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for descendants of the leaders of America and the Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, has to be a symbol of hope.

"We aren't the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame because we got along really well and now we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now friends, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes and Present Perils

Or is it? One reason the reason this series seems so urgent is that we now find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to be able to comprehend