Following nearly annihilating our world, our families have become friends’: the gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, the planet veered nearer toward ruin than at any other point in modern times. This happened when an American reconnaissance plane found that Russian atomic missile sites were being assembled on Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK ordered a naval task force to enact a maritime quarantine around the island. The next phase was almost two weeks filled with impossible tension.

The Unthinkable Threat

The danger remained obvious. Should Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a chain reaction of global nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes could have followed, plunging mankind toward total oblivion.

The October crisis has been examined endlessly, in books, films, and television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents a novel element into the story. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the men who, over 13 days, controlled the fate of the planet within their grasp.

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

In her view, the strength of the show is its endeavor to explore: "How can individuals detest one another and confront each other?"

"It was not lost on me how profound the fact that people can be allies or can become total enemies," adds Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently an author and lawyer. "We see this over and over when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare."

A Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What’s notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded so publicly, individuals globally were able to observe nearly in real time while it edged closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than what most people realised.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted a military strike followed by an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would have launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, and that would have obliterated our aircraft carriers and destroyed our largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, who succeeded in remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was the sense of optimism.

The Different Viewpoint

Yet, during those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was palpable globally. The Bomb’s presenters were born in the years following these events, with Nina being taught about it through the Soviet education system, which presented an alternative version of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening day," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are constantly fine and sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "They told me what a great moment it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. Subsequently, though, that interpretation was not held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying America."

A Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is remarkably even-handed and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, truly, the most momentous aspect is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the leaders of America and USSR to appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I aren't the first," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, my uncle moved to America and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is a shame since we connected really well and now we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the world, our families have become friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Parallels with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason why this series seems so urgent is because 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 don’t seem to be able to grasp