Following almost annihilating the planet, our families have become friends’: the thrilling podcast featuring JFK & Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, humanity edged closer to ruin more so than ever during recent history. This happened when an American surveillance aircraft identified that Russian nuclear missile bases were under construction on the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the US mainland. In response, President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period was nearly two weeks of impossible anxiety.

An Unthinkable Threat

The danger was obvious. Should President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a series involving worldwide atomic attacks and counterstrikes might have ensued, thrusting humanity into total oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented extensively, through books, films, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces a novel dimension to the story. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the leaders who, over 13 days, held the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin planning? What were the United States planning?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also an academic of global relations.

In her view, the unique appeal of the show is its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can nations detest one another to the point they confront each other?"

"I am acutely aware how remarkable the fact that humans can be friends or else can become complete adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and now a writer and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, highlighting the profound irrationality it is to fight."

A Brink of Catastrophe

What is notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded so publicly, people around the world could watch almost in real time while it edged closer to disaster. However, the risk of annihilation came closer than what most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for an airstrike and a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would've obliterated the naval vessels as well as destroyed our largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have responded through massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint and calmly negotiate when everyone around them was pushing for military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his similar weapons based in Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was the sense of hope.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about it via the Soviet education system, which presented an alternative narrative of events.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening day," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was constantly wonderful and positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, it was different. "I was informed what a great moment for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided the war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. In the years to come, though, that interpretation would not be shared by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying America."

A Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably even-handed , well produced that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most significant thing is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR would appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"We are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "After 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame since we connected really well and now we are friends, which is really great. Finally, after nearly 60 years of almost destroying the world, our families are now allies, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Echoes with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to grasp