Following nearly annihilating the world, the families are allies’: a gripping podcast from JFK and Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, humanity edged nearer to annihilation more so than ever in modern times. This transpired when an American reconnaissance plane identified the fact that Russian atomic missile bases were being built on the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to enact a maritime blockade encircling Cuba. The next phase was almost a fortnight of extreme stress.

The Unthinkable Threat

The threat was clear. Should Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a chain reaction involving worldwide nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes might have ensued, thrusting civilization toward all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been examined extensively, through books, films, and television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb introduces a completely new dimension to the story. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the figures who, for 13 days, grasped the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side planning? What was the American side considering?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor specializing in global relations.

In her view, the strength of the show lies in its attempt to explore: "Why do nations detest each other and confront one another?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular the fact that people can be friends or can become total enemies," states Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and now a writer as well as lawyer. "We see this repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

A Brink Towards Disaster

What’s notable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens globally could watch almost as it happened while it moved towards armageddon. Even so, the danger of destruction was more imminent than what most people understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike and an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans using the naval blockade, it is certain Soviet forces on the ground would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, and that would have destroyed the aircraft carriers as well as sunk our largest and most important fleet. And, we would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, who managed to exercise restraint while calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors in their governments demanded military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew American similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was palpable, matched by the sense of optimism.

The Divergent Perspective

Still, during those 13 days in October, the fear was palpable globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after the crisis, with Nina being taught about it via the USSR's education system, which portrayed a slightly different picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, describing it as a frightening time," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware a great deal about it, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was always wonderful and positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and avoided the war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, though, that interpretation was not shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a setback for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is so even-handed and expertly crafted that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, partly, due to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most momentous thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we connected really well and we’re friends, something that is really great. Finally, following almost six decades since almost destroying the planet, our families have become friends, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Parallels with Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again are living living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to comprehend