Following almost annihilating the world, the families are friends’: the thrilling audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, humanity edged nearer to destruction than at any other point in recent history. This occurred following the discovery that a US surveillance plane found that Russian atomic missile sites were being assembled on Cuba, less than 100 miles from the United States. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to impose a naval blockade around the island. The next phase was nearly two weeks of extreme stress.

An Catastrophic Threat

The threat remained palpable. If President Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a cascade involving worldwide nuclear attacks followed by retaliatory strikes could have ensued, plunging civilization toward all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined repeatedly, in volumes, movies, as well as TV documentaries. However, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb introduces a novel perspective into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the leaders who, over two tense weeks, held the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Russians thinking? What was Washington planning?" asks Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic specializing in global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the show lies in its endeavor to question: "How can individuals hate one another to the point they oppose each other?"

"It struck me how profound it is that people can be allies or have the potential to be total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now a writer and attorney. "History shows this over and over when nations enter into conflict, highlighting the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."

A Brink Towards Catastrophe

What’s notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded so publicly, individuals globally were able to observe almost as it happened while it crept closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than most people realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for a military strike followed by an invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba using the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians on the ground would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would have sunk our aircraft carriers as well as destroyed our largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation that would have ended most life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of hope.

A Different Perspective

Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was palpable globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, with Nina learned about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal about it, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was constantly wonderful or sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, it was different. "I was informed what a great moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, seen as a positive thing," she continues. Later on, however, that interpretation would not be shared by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced and well produced that Nina quips she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most momentous aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable that descendants of the leaders of the United States and the USSR would appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a sign of progress.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we had never met before the podcast," adds Max. "Which is a shame since we got along really well and now we’re friends, something that is really great. Finally, after nearly six decades since almost destroying the planet, our families have become allies, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes with Current Dangers

Or is it? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we now are living living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to grasp