Following nearly destroying our planet, the relatives are allies’: the thrilling podcast from JFK & Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, the planet veered closer toward annihilation more so than ever in recent history. This transpired following the discovery that a US surveillance aircraft found the fact that Russian nuclear missile sites were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from American soil. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to establish a naval quarantine around Cuba. What followed was almost 14 days of impossible stress.

An Unthinkable Danger

The threat remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a series involving worldwide atomic strikes and counterstrikes might have ensued, plunging civilization toward all-out oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, through volumes, movies, as well as TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel dimension to this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the figures who, over two tense weeks, held the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Soviet side planning? What were the American side considering?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor of global relations.

In her view, the strength of the show lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do people hate one another to the point they oppose each other?"

"It was not lost on me how profound the fact that humans have the potential to be friends or have the potential to be complete adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and now a writer and lawyer. "We see this over and over when countries have gone to war, demonstrating the profound irrationality involved to fight."

The Brink Towards Disaster

What’s striking regarding this event was that, because it unfolded so publicly, individuals globally were able to observe nearly in real time while it crept closer to catastrophe. Even so, the danger of destruction was more imminent than what anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would have fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would have sunk our aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to exercise restraint and calmly negotiate when many advisors around them was pushing for military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was the sense of optimism.

A Different Viewpoint

Yet, during those 13 days in October, the tension was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after these events, with Nina learned about it via the USSR's school curriculum, which presented a slightly different picture of what happened.

"You said your father recalls it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always fine or positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided the war, which was a positive thing," she adds. Later on, though, that perspective was not held by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a symbol of hope.

"We aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "That is a shame because we connected immediately and we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, after nearly 60 years of nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels and Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason why this series feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to grasp