Following nearly annihilating the planet, the relatives are friends’: the gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, the planet edged closer toward destruction than at any other point during modern times. This transpired when an American reconnaissance aircraft discovered the fact that Russian nuclear weapon installations were being assembled on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK ordered a naval task force to impose a naval blockade encircling the island. What followed was almost 14 days filled with impossible stress.

An Catastrophic Danger

The peril remained palpable. Should President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a cascade involving worldwide nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes would have followed, casting humanity toward total destruction.

The October crisis has been examined repeatedly, in books, films, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new dimension to the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the figures who, over 13 days, held the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side planning? What was the American side planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic of global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast lies in its endeavor to explore: "Why do nations hate each other and go against one another?"

"I am acutely aware how profound the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or can become total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to the late president and currently a writer and attorney. "We see this over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

A Brink Towards Catastrophe

What’s striking about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired so publicly, individuals worldwide could watch nearly as it happened as it edged closer to catastrophe. However, the threat of destruction was more imminent than most people understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, which would've destroyed our naval vessels as well as destroyed our largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, who managed to exercise restraint and calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors in their governments were advocating action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his missiles based in Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was the sense of hope.

The Divergent Perspective

Yet, for those two weeks in October, the tension was felt globally. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about it via the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different picture of what happened.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system we were told that things are always fine or sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and didn’t start a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she continues. In the years to come, though, that view would not be shared by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying America."

An Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced , well produced so much so that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame because we connected really well and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, following almost six decades since nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Parallels and Current Perils

Or is it? Part of why this series feels so necessary is that we once again are living living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp