Following almost destroying the world, our families have become allies’: a thrilling audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, humanity edged nearer toward destruction more so than ever in recent history. This transpired after an American surveillance plane found the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon sites were being built in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval quarantine around the island. What followed constituted almost 14 days filled with unbearable tension.

The Catastrophic Threat

The peril remained clear. If Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a chain reaction involving worldwide atomic strikes and retaliatory strikes could have ensued, plunging civilization into total oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented extensively, through books, movies, and TV documentaries. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought an unprecedented dimension into the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the figures who, over 13 days, controlled the destiny of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin planning? What were the American side planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and an academic specializing in international affairs.

For her, the beauty of the show lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can individuals hate one another and go against each other?"

"It struck me how spectacular it is that people have the potential to be allies or else have the potential to be complete enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to the late president and now an author and attorney. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid it is to engage in warfare."

The Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What’s remarkable regarding this event is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens worldwide were able to observe almost in real time as it moved towards catastrophe. Even so, the threat of annihilation came closer than most people understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians on the ground would've deployed a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would have obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, who managed to keep their heads while calmly negotiate when everyone in their governments was pushing for military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his missiles based in Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by a feeling of optimism.

A Divergent Perspective

Yet, during those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, with Khrushcheva learned about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative narrative of events.

"You said your father recalls it, and it was a scary time," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always wonderful or positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, and avoided the war, which was a positive thing," she adds. Subsequently, though, that view would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is so balanced and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, partly, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most momentous thing is the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable for relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the Soviet Union would appear together publicly. That these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, has to be a symbol of progress.

"We are not the first," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we had never met before the podcast," adds Max. "That is unfortunate because we connected really well and we’re friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes with Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of why The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders don’t seem to be able to learn