Following almost annihilating the planet, the relatives have become allies’: a gripping audio series from JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the planet veered closer toward annihilation more so than ever in modern times. This happened when a US surveillance plane discovered the fact that Russian nuclear weapon installations were being built on Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the United States. Reacting to this, President JFK directed a naval task force to establish a maritime blockade around Cuba. The next phase constituted nearly two weeks filled with unbearable anxiety.

The Catastrophic Danger

The threat remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a series of global nuclear strikes and counterstrikes could have ensued, plunging mankind toward total ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined endlessly, through volumes, films, as well as television programmes. However, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents a novel dimension into this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the figures who, over 13 days, controlled the destiny of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side planning? What were Washington planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor specializing in international affairs.

For her, the strength of the show is its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do people detest one another and confront each other?"

"It struck me how spectacular the fact that people have the potential to be friends or else can become complete adversaries," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently an author and lawyer. "We see this dynamic repeatedly in instances where countries enter into conflict, highlighting the profound irrationality it is to fight."

A Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals globally could watch almost in real time while it crept closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for a military strike followed by an invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would have deployed a nuclear warhead against the American ships, which would've sunk our aircraft carriers and sunk our largest and most important naval force. And, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended most life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in exercise restraint while engaging in diplomacy when many advisors in their governments was pushing for action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American missiles based in Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was a feeling of hope.

A Different Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks in October, the tension was felt globally. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world shortly after the crisis, with Nina learned about it via the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different picture of what happened.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a scary time," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware a great deal about it, because it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that things are constantly wonderful or sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided a global war, seen as a positive thing," she adds. Later on, however, that perspective would not be held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying America."

A Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is so even-handed , well produced that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, partly, due to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most significant thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of the United States and USSR to appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"We aren't the pioneers," smiles Nina. "After 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame because we got along immediately and we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, after almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages have become allies, suggesting the world is safer, somewhat."

Modern Parallels with Present Dangers

Or is it? Part of the reason this series feels so necessary is because we once again are living living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend