Following almost destroying our planet, our relatives have become allies’: a gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, humanity veered nearer to destruction than at any other point during recent history. This happened after a US surveillance plane identified the fact that Russian nuclear weapon installations were being assembled in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the US mainland. In response, President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime quarantine around Cuba. The next phase was nearly a fortnight of unbearable anxiety.

An Catastrophic Threat

The peril was clear. If Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a series involving worldwide nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes would have ensued, thrusting civilization toward total ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented extensively, in books, movies, as well as television programmes. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" introduces a completely new element to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the leaders who, for 13 days, grasped the destiny of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Russians planning? What were the United States considering?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor specializing in global relations.

In her view, the strength of the show is its endeavor to question: "How can people detest each other and go against each other?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or else can become total enemies," adds Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently a writer as well as attorney. "History shows this over and over when countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality involved to fight."

A Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What’s striking about this event is that, because it unfolded so publicly, citizens globally were able to observe almost in real time as it moved closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the danger of annihilation came closer than anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted an airstrike and a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would've launched a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've sunk the naval vessels as well as destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have retaliated with massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in exercise restraint while calmly negotiate when many advisors around them was pushing for action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed American missiles based in Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by the sense of optimism.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those 13 days in October, the fear was palpable globally. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after these events, and Nina learned about it via the Soviet education system, which portrayed an alternative version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know a great deal about it, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are constantly fine and positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great moment for the USSR, because it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Subsequently, however, that interpretation would not be shared by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , well produced that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant thing is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of America and USSR would appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Max. "That is unfortunate because we connected immediately and now we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, after almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our families are now allies, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels and Current Perils

Or is it? Part of the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we now find ourselves in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn