Following almost annihilating our world, our relatives have become allies’: the gripping audio series from JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the planet veered nearer toward destruction more so than ever in modern times. This happened when an American surveillance plane discovered that Russian nuclear weapon sites were being assembled on Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK ordered a naval task force to enact a maritime blockade encircling Cuba. What followed was almost two weeks filled with extreme tension.

An Unthinkable Danger

The danger was clear. If Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a series of global atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes would have ensued, plunging humanity into all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered extensively, through volumes, movies, as well as TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel dimension to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the men who, over 13 days, held the fate of the world in their hands.

"What was the Soviet side thinking? What was Washington planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor specializing in international affairs.

For her, the unique appeal of the show is its endeavor to explore: "How can nations hate one another and oppose one another?"

"It was not lost on me how profound it is that humans have the potential to be friends or else can become complete enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now a writer as well as attorney. "We see this repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to fight."

A Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What is striking about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens around the world were able to observe nearly in real time as it moved closer to disaster. Even so, the danger of annihilation came closer than anybody understood at the time.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by an invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would have sunk our naval vessels as well as sunk America's primary fleet. And, we would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, who succeeded in exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy when many advisors in their governments demanded action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the missiles from Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, as was a feeling of hope.

A Different Perspective

Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it via the USSR's school curriculum, which painted a slightly different version of events.

"You said your parent remembers it, describing it as a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was always wonderful or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, as it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, and didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Subsequently, however, that view was not held by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot the known the ending. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most significant aspect remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a sign of progress.

"We aren't the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative moved to America and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is a shame because we connected immediately and now we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages have become friends, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Parallels with Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to comprehend