‘After nearly annihilating the world, our families are friends’: the thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, humanity came closer to destruction than at any other point during recent history. This happened following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft discovered the fact that Russian nuclear weapon bases were being assembled on the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles from American soil. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval quarantine around Cuba. What followed was nearly a fortnight filled with impossible tension.

An Unthinkable Threat

The threat was palpable. Should President Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on their enemy, a series involving global nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes could have followed, thrusting humanity into all-out oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined endlessly, through books, movies, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents a completely new element to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the men who, for two tense weeks, controlled the fate of humanity in their hands.

"What were the Russians considering? What were the American side considering?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and a professor of international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the show is its attempt to objectively ask: "How can nations detest one another to the point they confront one another?"

"It struck me how remarkable it is that individuals have the potential to be friends or have the potential to be total adversaries," adds Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and now an author and attorney. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

A Precipice of Catastrophe

What is remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired so publicly, people around the world could watch nearly as it happened while it moved towards armageddon. Even so, the threat of destruction came closer than what most people realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike and an invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians stationed there would've fired a nuclear warhead against the American ships, and that would have sunk our naval vessels as well as sunk our primary naval force. And, we would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended most life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in remain calm and engaging in diplomacy when everyone in their governments demanded military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the missiles from Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew his missiles based in Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was the sense of optimism.

The Different Viewpoint

Still, for those 13 days in October, the tension was palpable globally. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following the crisis, and Khrushcheva learned about the crisis via the USSR's education system, which presented a slightly different picture of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening day," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are always wonderful and positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, as it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, and didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she continues. In the years to come, however, that perspective was not held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most momentous aspect is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable for relatives of the leaders of America and USSR to appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of hope.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, a relative moved to America where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Max. "That is a shame since we got along immediately and we’re friends, something that is really great. Finally, after almost 60 years since almost destroying the world, our lineages are now friends, so I think global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels and Present Perils

Or is it? One reason why The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to grasp