Following almost annihilating our planet, our families are friends’: a gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the planet came closer to destruction more so than ever in recent history. This transpired following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane discovered that Soviet atomic missile installations were under construction in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the United States. In response, U.S. President JFK ordered a naval task force to establish a maritime quarantine around Cuba. What followed constituted nearly two weeks filled with unbearable anxiety.

The Catastrophic Threat

The danger was palpable. If President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes would have ensued, plunging mankind toward all-out oblivion.

The October crisis has been examined extensively, in volumes, movies, as well as television programmes. But, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a completely new element into the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the leaders that, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the world in their hands.

"What was the Russians considering? What were the American side thinking?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also a professor of global relations.

In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast is its endeavor to question: "How can nations detest each other and go against one another?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that humans can be friends or else have the potential to be total enemies," states Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and now an author and lawyer. "History shows this repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, demonstrating the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."

The Precipice of Disaster

What’s remarkable about this event is that, because it unfolded so publicly, people globally could watch nearly in real time while it edged closer to armageddon. However, the threat of annihilation came closer than what most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians stationed there would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would have obliterated the aircraft carriers and destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements in their governments demanded action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles in Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew his missiles from Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was palpable globally. The podcast's co-hosts were born shortly after these events, with Nina being taught about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which painted an alternative version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a scary day," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was constantly wonderful and sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was different. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Later on, though, that perspective would not be held by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a setback for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying America."

A Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This effect is, in part, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most momentous aspect remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for descendants of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a sign of hope.

"We are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "After 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate because we connected really well and now we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, after almost six decades since almost destroying the planet, our families have become friends, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Current Perils

Or is it? One reason why this series feels so necessary is because we now find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to comprehend