Following almost destroying the world, our relatives have become allies’: the gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the planet edged closer toward annihilation more so than ever during modern times. This transpired following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane discovered the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon bases were being assembled on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the US mainland. Reacting to this, President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime blockade around the island. The next phase was nearly 14 days filled with extreme tension.

An Unthinkable Threat

The threat remained obvious. Should President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a chain reaction of worldwide atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes might have followed, casting humanity toward total oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined repeatedly, in books, films, and TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents a novel perspective to this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the figures that, for 13 days, held the destiny of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Russians considering? What was Washington thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and a professor specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast is its endeavor to question: "Why do individuals hate each other to the point they go against each other?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that humans can be friends or else have the potential to be total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and currently an author as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly in instances where nations enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly it is to fight."

A Brink of Disaster

What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals around the world were able to observe almost in real time while it edged towards disaster. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for an airstrike followed by an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians on the ground would've fired a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've obliterated our aircraft carriers and destroyed America's primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation which would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, who succeeded in remain calm while engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements in their governments demanded military action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his missiles from Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by the sense of optimism.

A Divergent Perspective

Still, during those two weeks in October, the tension was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after these events, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which presented a slightly different picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, describing it as a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly wonderful and sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, it was different. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and avoided the war, which was a positive thing," she adds. In the years to come, though, that perspective would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most momentous aspect remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable for relatives of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a symbol of hope.

"We are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame since we got along really well and we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, following almost 60 years of almost destroying the world, our families are now friends, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes with Current Perils

Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is that we now find ourselves living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to learn