Following almost annihilating our planet, the families are allies’: a thrilling audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, humanity came nearer to annihilation than at any other point in recent history. This transpired following the discovery that a US surveillance plane discovered that Soviet nuclear weapon bases were under construction on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered a naval task force to impose a maritime quarantine around Cuba. What followed was almost 14 days filled with unbearable stress.

The Catastrophic Danger

The threat was clear. If President Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a cascade involving global nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes might have ensued, plunging humanity into total destruction.

The October crisis has been examined extensively, through books, movies, as well as television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" introduces a novel dimension into the story. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the men that, for two tense weeks, held the destiny of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin planning? What was the United States planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and an academic specializing in global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "How can individuals hate one another and confront one another?"

"It was not lost on me how profound it is that individuals have the potential to be allies or can become total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and currently an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where countries have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to engage in warfare."

A Precipice of Catastrophe

What is remarkable regarding this event was that, since it unfolded so publicly, citizens globally could watch almost as it happened while it crept towards armageddon. However, the risk of destruction was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike and an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians on the ground would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've obliterated the aircraft carriers and destroyed our largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have retaliated with massive retaliation which would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, who managed to remain calm and calmly negotiate when many advisors around them were advocating military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, matched by a feeling of hope.

A Different Perspective

Still, during those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt globally. The podcast's co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, with Nina learned about the crisis via the USSR's education system, which portrayed an alternative picture of what happened.

"You said your father remembers it, and it was a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was constantly wonderful or positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, which was a positive thing," she adds. Subsequently, however, that perspective would not be held by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying America."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This effect is, in part, due to contributions from historians. But, really, the most groundbreaking aspect remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, has to be a sign of optimism.

"We aren't the pioneers," smiles Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame since we connected immediately and we are friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after almost 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes and Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to comprehend