‘After nearly destroying our world, our families have become friends’: the gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the planet came closer toward ruin than at any other point during the contemporary era. This transpired following the discovery that a US reconnaissance plane identified the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon bases were under construction in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. What followed was almost a fortnight filled with unbearable tension.

An Unthinkable Threat

The danger was clear. If Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a chain reaction of worldwide atomic attacks followed by retaliatory strikes could have followed, thrusting mankind toward total oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented endlessly, through books, movies, and television programmes. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought an unprecedented dimension into the story. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the leaders that, over 13 days, grasped the destiny of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin thinking? What was the American side considering?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and a professor of international affairs.

For her, the beauty of the podcast lies in its attempt to explore: "How can people detest each other to the point they confront each other?"

"It was not lost on me how profound it is that humans can be allies or else can become total adversaries," states Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now a writer and lawyer. "History shows this over and over when countries have gone to war, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

The Brink of Catastrophe

What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, people around the world could watch almost in real time as it crept towards catastrophe. Even so, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than what most people realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians on the ground would have launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, which would've sunk the naval vessels and sunk America's primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, they succeeded in keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy when many advisors around them demanded military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew American similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was immense, as was the sense of optimism.

A Different Viewpoint

Yet, during those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, and Nina being taught about it through the Soviet education system, which painted an alternative version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, describing it as a scary day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are always wonderful and sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful thing," she continues. Subsequently, though, that perspective would not be shared by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is so balanced , well produced so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most groundbreaking aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of America and the USSR to appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of hope.

"We are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "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 had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we got along really well and now we are friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, following almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become allies, suggesting the world is safer, somewhat."

Modern Parallels and Present Perils

Or is it? One reason 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, partly since world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to learn