Following almost destroying our planet, the relatives have become allies’: a thrilling audio series from JFK and Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, the planet veered closer toward annihilation more so than ever during the contemporary era. This occurred following the discovery that an American surveillance plane found that Soviet nuclear missile bases were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the US mainland. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime blockade encircling the island. The next phase constituted nearly 14 days filled with impossible tension.

An Unthinkable Danger

The danger remained palpable. If President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a chain reaction involving worldwide nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes might have ensued, plunging civilization into all-out oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, through books, movies, as well as television programmes. But, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented dimension to the story. It is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the figures who, over two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of humanity in their hands.

"What were the Russians considering? What were the United States planning?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic of international affairs.

For her, the strength of the show is its endeavor to explore: "How can individuals detest one another to the point they oppose each other?"

"It was not lost on me how spectacular the fact that people have the potential to be friends or else can become total enemies," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and currently an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this repeatedly when countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

A Brink of Disaster

What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired so publicly, people around the world were able to observe nearly in real time as it edged closer to disaster. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction was more imminent than what most people realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike and an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would have obliterated our naval vessels and destroyed our largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation which would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads and calmly negotiate when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed his missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, for those two weeks in October, the tension was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after these events, and Nina being taught about the crisis via the USSR's school curriculum, which presented an alternative narrative of events.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, describing it as a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal about it, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are always wonderful and sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was distinct. "They told me what a great moment it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and avoided a global war, which was a positive thing," she adds. In the years to come, however, that view would not be shared by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up America."

An Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, partly, due to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most significant thing is the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR to appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative moved to America where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame because we got along immediately and now we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following nearly six decades since almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now allies, so I think global relations is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes and Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason this series feels so necessary is that we now find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to learn