Following almost annihilating our world, the families are allies’: a gripping audio series featuring JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the world edged nearer to ruin more so than ever in the contemporary era. This occurred following the discovery that an American surveillance aircraft found the fact that Russian nuclear missile sites were being built in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to impose a maritime blockade encircling the island. The ensuing period was almost two weeks filled with impossible tension.

An Unthinkable Danger

The danger was palpable. Should President Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a cascade of global nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes could have followed, thrusting mankind toward total destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined repeatedly, in books, films, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" introduces an unprecedented element to the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the leaders that, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of humanity in their hands.

"What were the Russians thinking? What were Washington considering?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also an academic of global relations.

In her view, the strength of the podcast lies in its endeavor to question: "How can people hate one another to the point they oppose one another?"

"It struck me how remarkable the fact that people have the potential to be friends or can become complete enemies," adds Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly in instances where countries enter into conflict, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

A Brink of Disaster

What’s striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens globally could watch almost as it happened as it crept closer to catastrophe. However, the threat of destruction was more imminent than most people realised.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, which would have sunk our aircraft carriers as well as destroyed our primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to keep their heads while calmly negotiate when hawkish elements around them demanded military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the missiles from the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by the sense of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Still, during those 13 days in October, the tension was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after the crisis, and Nina learned about it through the USSR's education system, which painted a slightly different narrative of what happened.

"You said your father remembers it, describing it as a scary day," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was constantly wonderful and sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was different. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. In the years to come, though, that perspective was not held by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is so even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, partly, due to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and USSR would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of hope.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "After 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Max. "That is a shame because we got along immediately and we are friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our families are now friends, so I think the world is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Parallels with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of why this series seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to be able to learn