‘After nearly destroying our planet, our families have become allies’: the gripping audio series from JFK and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, humanity edged nearer to destruction more so than ever in the contemporary era. This occurred when an American surveillance plane found that Soviet atomic missile sites were being built on Cuba, less than 100 miles from the United States. In response, President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to impose a maritime quarantine encircling the island. The ensuing period constituted nearly a fortnight filled with unbearable anxiety.

The Catastrophic Danger

The threat remained palpable. Should Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on their enemy, a cascade of worldwide atomic strikes and counterstrikes could have ensued, thrusting mankind toward all-out ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined repeatedly, in books, movies, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb presents a completely new element to this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the men that, for two tense weeks, held the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What was the Russians thinking? What was the American side planning?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and an academic of international affairs.

In her view, the strength of the show is its attempt to explore: "Why do people detest each other and oppose one another?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that humans have the potential to be friends or else can become complete enemies," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now a writer as well as attorney. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when countries have gone to war, demonstrating the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What’s notable about this event was that, since it unfolded so publicly, individuals around the world could watch nearly in real time as it moved towards catastrophe. Even so, the risk of destruction was more imminent than what most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians on the ground would've deployed a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, which would've sunk our aircraft carriers and sunk our largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, who succeeded in remain calm and calmly negotiate when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was a feeling of optimism.

A Different Perspective

Still, during those two weeks in October, the fear was palpable globally. The podcast's co-hosts were born shortly after these events, and Nina being taught about it through the USSR's education system, which portrayed an alternative picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, describing it as a scary time," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware that much about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was constantly wonderful or positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great occasion for the USSR, because it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided the war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she continues. Later on, however, that perspective would not be held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed and well produced that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most momentous aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for relatives of the leaders 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 with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met before the podcast," adds Max. "That is a shame because we connected immediately and we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following almost six decades of almost destroying the world, our lineages are now allies, so I think global relations is safer, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Present Perils

Or is it? Part of why this series seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen appear not to be able to learn