Following almost destroying the world, the relatives are friends’: the thrilling audio series from JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, the world came closer to destruction more so than ever in the contemporary era. This occurred following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft discovered the fact that Russian nuclear weapon bases were under construction on Cuba, less than 100 miles from the US mainland. Reacting to this, President JFK directed a naval task force to establish a naval blockade encircling Cuba. The next phase constituted almost two weeks of extreme tension.

The Unthinkable Threat

The peril remained obvious. If Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a chain reaction of global atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes could have ensued, plunging civilization toward total oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented extensively, through books, films, as well as television programmes. But, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new dimension to this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the men who, over 13 days, held the fate of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin considering? What were Washington thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and an academic of global relations.

For her, the strength of the show is its endeavor to question: "Why do people detest each other to the point they confront one another?"

"It struck me how remarkable the fact that people have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be total enemies," states Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently a writer and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic over and over when nations enter into conflict, highlighting the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What is remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it transpired so publicly, citizens globally were able to observe almost in real time as it edged closer to armageddon. Even so, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than most people realised.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans with the naval blockade, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would have fired a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, which would've destroyed the naval vessels as well as sunk our primary fleet. And, we would have responded through massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in exercise restraint while calmly negotiate when hawkish elements around them demanded action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by the sense of optimism.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, with Nina being taught about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which presented a slightly different version of events.

"You said your father recalls it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware that much about it, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly wonderful or sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, as it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. In the years to come, though, that interpretation was not held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying America."

An Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most groundbreaking thing is the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of the United States and USSR to appear together publicly. That these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met before the podcast," adds Max. "That is a shame since we connected really well and we are friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, following almost 60 years since almost destroying the world, our families have become friends, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Parallels with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is because we now are living living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to comprehend