Following almost annihilating the planet, our relatives are allies’: a gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, humanity came nearer toward ruin more so than ever in recent history. This transpired when a US reconnaissance plane found that Russian atomic missile sites were being assembled on Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK commanded a naval task force to enact a maritime blockade encircling the island. The next phase was nearly 14 days of unbearable anxiety.

An Unthinkable Threat

The peril was clear. If Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a chain reaction of global atomic attacks and retaliatory strikes would have ensued, thrusting civilization toward total ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented extensively, through volumes, movies, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel dimension into the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the men that, over 13 days, grasped the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Russians planning? What were Washington considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and an academic of global relations.

In her view, the strength of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "Why do individuals detest one another to the point they confront each other?"

"It was not lost on me how spectacular the fact that humans can be friends or else have the potential to be complete adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this repeatedly when nations have gone to war, highlighting the sheer folly involved to fight."

The Precipice of Catastrophe

What’s striking regarding this event is that, because it transpired so publicly, citizens globally could watch almost as it happened while it crept closer to catastrophe. However, the danger of destruction was more imminent than what anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike and a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would have sunk our naval vessels and sunk our primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded 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 keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone around them demanded action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism.

A Divergent Perspective

Yet, during those 13 days in October, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, and Nina being taught about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different narrative of events.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware that much about it, since it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that things are always wonderful or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and avoided a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she continues. Subsequently, however, that perspective was not held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is remarkably balanced , well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This effect is, partly, due to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most significant aspect remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of America and USSR to appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, has to be a sign of progress.

"We aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate because we connected immediately and we’re friends, something that is really great. Finally, following almost six decades since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now friends, so I think global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Parallels with Current Perils

Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to comprehend