Following nearly annihilating our planet, our families are allies’: the gripping audio series from JFK and Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, humanity veered nearer to ruin more so than ever in the contemporary era. This occurred when a US reconnaissance plane found the fact that Russian atomic missile bases were under construction on the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the US mainland. In response, U.S. President JFK ordered a naval task force to establish a maritime blockade around the island. What followed was almost 14 days of impossible tension.

An Catastrophic Threat

The danger remained clear. If Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a chain reaction of global nuclear attacks followed by counterstrikes might have ensued, casting civilization toward all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been documented endlessly, through books, films, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb introduces a completely new dimension to the story. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the men who, for two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Russians planning? What was the American side thinking?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also an academic specializing in global relations.

In her view, the strength of the podcast lies in its attempt to question: "Why do individuals detest each other and confront each other?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that people can be friends or can become complete enemies," adds Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to the late president and now a writer as well as lawyer. "We see this repeatedly when countries have gone to war, demonstrating the profound irrationality it is to fight."

The Brink of Catastrophe

What’s striking about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired so publicly, citizens around the world could watch nearly as it happened while it edged towards armageddon. However, the threat of annihilation came closer than what anybody realised.

"Almost all officials in the White House wanted a military strike and an invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians stationed there would have launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, and that would have sunk our naval vessels and destroyed America's primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, they managed to remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments demanded action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of optimism.

The Divergent Perspective

Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which portrayed a slightly different version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, describing it as a scary time," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly fine or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. In the years to come, though, that view was not held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

An Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced and expertly crafted so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This is, in part, due to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR would appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a sign of optimism.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 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. "Which is a shame since we got along really well and we’re friends, something that is really great. Finally, following almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now friends, so I think global relations is safer, a little bit."

Modern Parallels with Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp