Following nearly destroying the planet, our families are allies’: the gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, the planet came closer to annihilation than at any other point during modern times. This happened when a US reconnaissance aircraft identified that Soviet nuclear missile installations were being built on Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK commanded a naval task force to establish a naval quarantine around Cuba. The ensuing period was almost a fortnight filled with unbearable tension.

The Unthinkable Threat

The threat remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a series of global atomic attacks and counterstrikes could have followed, casting humanity toward total ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined extensively, in books, movies, as well as TV documentaries. However, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel perspective into the story. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the figures that, for two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin planning? What was the American side thinking?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor of global relations.

For her, the strength of the podcast lies in its attempt to explore: "How can nations hate one another to the point they go against one another?"

"It struck me how spectacular it is that people have the potential to be friends or can become complete enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently a writer as well as lawyer. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

A Brink of Catastrophe

What is notable about this event is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, people worldwide were able to observe almost in real time while it edged closer to disaster. However, the risk of destruction was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would have sunk the aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's primary naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors in their governments was pushing for action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew American similar weapons based in Turkey. The relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism.

A Different Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The podcast's presenters were born shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva learned about it via the Soviet education system, which painted an alternative narrative of what happened.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly wonderful and positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful thing," she continues. Later on, however, that interpretation would not be shared by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is so balanced and well produced that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, in part, thanks to contributions from historians. But, really, the most groundbreaking thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the leaders of America and USSR would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a sign of optimism.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," adds Max. "That is unfortunate since we connected immediately and now we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes with Current Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we now are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to comprehend