Following nearly destroying the world, our families have become friends’: a gripping podcast featuring John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the planet edged nearer to annihilation than at any other point during the contemporary era. This happened when an American reconnaissance plane discovered the fact that Russian nuclear missile sites were under construction on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered a naval task force to establish a maritime blockade around Cuba. The next phase constituted nearly 14 days filled with unbearable anxiety.

The Catastrophic Danger

The threat was palpable. If President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a cascade of worldwide atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes might have ensued, thrusting civilization into all-out oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered endlessly, through books, movies, as well as television programmes. But, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new dimension to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the leaders who, over 13 days, grasped the destiny of humanity in their hands.

"What was the Soviet side considering? What was the American side thinking?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic specializing in global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do nations detest one another and confront each other?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that humans have the potential to be allies or else can become complete enemies," adds Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now a writer as well as attorney. "We see this repeatedly in instances where nations enter into conflict, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to engage in warfare."

A Brink of Disaster

What’s striking about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, people worldwide could watch nearly in real time as it moved towards disaster. However, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba with the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would've deployed a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, which would've destroyed the aircraft carriers as well as destroyed our primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have ended all life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements around them demanded action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of hope.

A Different Viewpoint

Still, for those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world in the years following the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it through the Soviet education system, which painted an alternative picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a frightening day," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware a great deal about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always wonderful or positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided a global war, seen as a wonderful thing," she continues. Subsequently, however, that perspective would not be held by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced and expertly crafted that Nina quips she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most momentous aspect remains the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable for descendants of the leaders of America and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a sign of hope.

"We aren't the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is a shame because we got along really well and now we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, after nearly 60 years of nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now friends, so I think global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason why this series feels so necessary is because we once again are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn