Following almost destroying the world, the families have become friends’: the gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, the planet edged nearer to annihilation more so than ever during recent history. This happened after an American surveillance plane discovered that Russian atomic missile sites were under construction on the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. In response, U.S. President JFK directed a naval task force to impose a maritime quarantine around the island. The next phase was nearly 14 days of impossible anxiety.

An Catastrophic Threat

The danger remained palpable. If Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a chain reaction involving worldwide nuclear strikes and counterstrikes could have ensued, plunging civilization toward all-out ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered extensively, through volumes, films, as well as TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented dimension to this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the men who, for 13 days, grasped the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What was the Soviet side considering? What were the United States planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and a professor specializing in global relations.

For her, the unique appeal of the show lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do individuals detest each other to the point they confront one another?"

"It struck me how remarkable it is that individuals have the potential to be allies or can become complete enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic over and over when nations have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."

The Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is striking regarding this event is that, since it unfolded so publicly, citizens worldwide were able to observe almost as it happened while it edged towards disaster. Even so, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for an airstrike and a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would have deployed a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would've destroyed our naval vessels as well as sunk our primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint while calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements around them demanded action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American missiles based in Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was the sense of optimism.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks in October, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world in the years following the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a scary time," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal about it, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always wonderful or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was different. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and avoided a global war, which was a positive thing," she continues. Subsequently, though, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

An Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so balanced and expertly crafted that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, partly, due to contributions from historians. But, really, the most momentous aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for descendants of the leaders of America and Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a sign of hope.

"We are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is a shame since we connected really well and now we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our families have become allies, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Echoes with Current Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series feels so necessary is because we now find ourselves in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn