Following almost annihilating the world, the families have become allies’: a thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, the world veered closer to annihilation than at any other point in recent history. This occurred when a US surveillance aircraft identified the fact that Soviet atomic missile bases were under construction in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime quarantine around the island. What followed was nearly two weeks of extreme anxiety.

The Catastrophic Threat

The threat remained obvious. If Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a series involving global atomic attacks followed by retaliatory strikes might have followed, thrusting mankind into all-out oblivion.

The October crisis has been documented endlessly, through books, movies, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought an unprecedented dimension into the story. It is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the leaders who, over 13 days, controlled the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Russians planning? What was Washington considering?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also an academic of international affairs.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its endeavor to question: "Why do people detest each other to the point they go against one another?"

"It was not lost on me how spectacular it is that people can be allies or else can become total enemies," states Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and now an author and lawyer. "We see this over and over when countries enter into conflict, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to engage in warfare."

The Precipice of Catastrophe

What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired so publicly, individuals around the world could watch almost in real time as it moved closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation came closer than what anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike and an invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans with the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have destroyed our aircraft carriers and sunk America's primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in remain calm while calmly negotiate when many advisors in their governments were advocating military action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was the sense of optimism.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those 13 days in October, the tension was felt globally. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world in the years following the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which presented a slightly different picture of events.

"You said your father remembers it, describing it as a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly wonderful or positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, it was different. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, and avoided the war, which was a wonderful thing," she continues. In the years to come, however, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably balanced , expertly crafted that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, partly, due to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most groundbreaking thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union to appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, has to be a sign of optimism.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative moved to America where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we got along really well and now we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, after almost six decades since almost destroying the planet, our families are now allies, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Current Perils

Or is it? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend