Following almost annihilating the world, our families have become friends’: a thrilling audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the planet edged nearer toward annihilation than at any other point during recent history. This happened following the discovery that an American reconnaissance aircraft found the fact that Russian nuclear missile installations were being assembled on Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the US mainland. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime blockade encircling Cuba. The next phase was almost two weeks filled with unbearable tension.

The Catastrophic Danger

The peril was clear. Should Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a cascade of global atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes could have ensued, casting humanity toward total ruination.

The October crisis has been examined endlessly, in books, movies, as well as TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb presents an unprecedented dimension to this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the figures who, for two tense weeks, grasped the fate of the planet in their hands.

"What was the Russians thinking? What were Washington considering?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor specializing in international affairs.

For her, the beauty of the show lies in its endeavor to explore: "How can nations detest each other and confront one another?"

"It struck me how spectacular the fact that people have the potential to be friends or can become total adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now a writer and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic over and over when countries have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

The Brink Towards Disaster

What is notable regarding this event is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, people around the world were able to observe almost in real time while it crept towards catastrophe. Even so, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, and that would've sunk the aircraft carriers and destroyed our primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation that would have ended all life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in exercise restraint while calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors around them demanded military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his missiles based in Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was a feeling of optimism.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks in October, the fear was palpable globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which presented a slightly different narrative of what happened.

"You said your father remembers it, describing it as a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always wonderful or sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, because it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, however, that view was not held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying America."

A Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably balanced and well produced that Nina quips she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, in part, due to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most significant thing is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of America and USSR would appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a symbol of optimism.

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

"However we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "That is a shame since we connected immediately and we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years since almost destroying the world, our families have become allies, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of why this series seems so urgent is because we once again find ourselves in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend