Following nearly annihilating the planet, the relatives are allies’: a thrilling podcast featuring JFK & Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, humanity came nearer toward ruin than at any other point in recent history. This transpired following the discovery that an American surveillance plane found the fact that Russian nuclear missile installations were being assembled on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from the United States. In response, President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime blockade around the island. What followed was almost 14 days of impossible tension.

The Catastrophic Threat

The peril remained obvious. Should Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a cascade involving worldwide atomic attacks and counterstrikes would have followed, plunging mankind into all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined extensively, through volumes, movies, as well as TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought a novel dimension into the story. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the leaders who, for two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the planet within their grasp.

"What was the Soviet side thinking? What was Washington planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor of international affairs.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "Why do people detest each other and confront each other?"

"I am acutely aware how remarkable the fact that individuals can be allies or can become total adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now a writer and lawyer. "We see this over and over when countries have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

A Precipice of Catastrophe

What’s striking about this event is that, since it transpired so publicly, citizens around the world were able to observe almost in real time while it crept towards disaster. However, the threat of annihilation came closer than what most people realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike followed by an invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would have launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, which would've obliterated our aircraft carriers and sunk our largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to exercise restraint and calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors around them was pushing for military action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by the sense of optimism.

A Divergent Perspective

Yet, during those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva learned about it via the Soviet education system, which presented a slightly different version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, and it was a scary time," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was constantly fine and sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was different. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Subsequently, though, that interpretation would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed , well produced that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This is, partly, due to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most groundbreaking aspect remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the leaders of the United States and the USSR to appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame since we connected really well and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, following almost 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become friends, so I think global relations is safer, somewhat."

Modern Echoes with Present Perils

Or is it? One reason why The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to grasp