‘After nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become allies’: a gripping podcast from JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the planet edged closer to annihilation more so than ever during the contemporary era. This transpired following the discovery that a US surveillance plane identified that Soviet atomic missile bases were being built in the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered a naval task force to enact a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period was nearly 14 days of impossible stress.

An Unthinkable Threat

The threat was clear. Should President Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a series of worldwide nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes would have ensued, thrusting civilization into all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been documented extensively, through books, films, and TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb introduces a completely new dimension into the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the figures who, over two tense weeks, held the destiny of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side planning? What were the United States considering?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also a professor of international affairs.

In her view, the unique appeal of the show is its attempt to question: "How can people hate each other and go against one another?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular the fact that people have the potential to be friends or can become total enemies," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality involved to fight."

A Precipice of Disaster

What’s notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens worldwide could watch almost as it happened as it edged closer to armageddon. However, the risk of destruction was more imminent than what most people realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians on the ground would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would've destroyed the naval vessels and destroyed America's largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have responded through massive retaliation that would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy when everyone around them was pushing for action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, matched by the sense of hope.

The Different Perspective

Still, during those 13 days in October, the fear was palpable globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which painted a slightly different narrative of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, and it was a scary time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always fine and positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, because it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Later on, though, that perspective would not be held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so balanced , expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. But, really, the most groundbreaking aspect remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable for relatives of the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of progress.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we had never met prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "That is unfortunate because we connected immediately and we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, after almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the world, our lineages have become friends, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Parallels and Present Perils

Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now are living living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to grasp