Following almost destroying our world, our families have become allies’: the thrilling podcast from JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, the planet veered closer to destruction than at any other point during the contemporary era. This happened following the discovery that an American surveillance plane found the fact that Soviet nuclear missile installations were under construction in the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to enact a naval blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted almost two weeks of unbearable anxiety.

An Catastrophic Threat

The danger was palpable. If President Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a series of worldwide nuclear attacks followed by retaliatory strikes would have followed, plunging mankind into all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, through volumes, movies, and television programmes. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel perspective into the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the figures that, for 13 days, controlled the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What was the Kremlin planning? What were the American side planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can individuals detest each other to the point they oppose one another?"

"It was not lost on me how profound the fact that humans can be allies or else have the potential to be total adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and now a writer as well as lawyer. "History shows this over and over when countries have gone to war, demonstrating the profound irrationality it is to fight."

A Brink Towards Disaster

What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, people globally could watch almost in real time while it edged closer to disaster. Even so, the risk of destruction came closer than most people realised.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike and an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the naval blockade, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would've sunk the aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's primary fleet. In turn, we would have retaliated with massive retaliation that would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, they managed to keep their heads and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments demanded military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in Cuba and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was a feeling of hope.

A Different Perspective

Still, for those two weeks in October, the tension was palpable by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the USSR's education system, which painted a slightly different narrative of events.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware a great deal about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly wonderful or positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion it was, as it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a positive thing," she adds. Subsequently, though, that view was not held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so even-handed , expertly crafted that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most groundbreaking aspect is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union to appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, my uncle moved to America where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Max. "That is a shame since we got along really well and now we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, after almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our families are now friends, suggesting global relations is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels and Present Dangers

Or is it? Part of why this series feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, partly since world leaders appear not to be able to comprehend