Following almost destroying our planet, the families are friends’: a thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the planet veered closer toward annihilation more so than ever during modern times. This occurred when an American surveillance aircraft identified the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon sites were under construction on Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. In response, President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval quarantine around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted nearly 14 days of extreme anxiety.

An Unthinkable Threat

The danger was palpable. If Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a chain reaction involving worldwide atomic attacks and counterstrikes would have ensued, plunging mankind into total destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined endlessly, through books, films, as well as television programmes. However, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents a completely new perspective to the story. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the figures who, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side planning? What were Washington thinking?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do individuals hate one another to the point they confront one another?"

"It was not lost on me how profound it is that individuals have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be total adversaries," adds Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and now a writer as well as attorney. "We see this repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the sheer folly it is to fight."

A Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is striking about this event is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, individuals around the world were able to observe almost as it happened as it crept closer to disaster. However, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than most people understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike and a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would've fired a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, which would have sunk our naval vessels and destroyed America's primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, who managed to remain calm while calmly negotiate at a time when everyone around them demanded action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of optimism.

The Different Perspective

Yet, during those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative picture of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, and it was a scary time," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware a great deal about it, since it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always fine and positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed what a great moment it was, as it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. Subsequently, though, that interpretation would not be held by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced and expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot the known the ending. This effect is, in part, due to contributions from historians. But, really, the most momentous thing remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of America and the USSR would appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a symbol of hope.

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

"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we got along really well and we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, after almost six decades since almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now allies, so I think global relations is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes with Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we once again are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders appear not to be able to grasp