‘After almost destroying the world, our relatives have become allies’: the gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the planet veered nearer toward ruin more so than ever during the contemporary era. This occurred following the discovery that a US reconnaissance plane discovered the fact that Soviet atomic missile installations were under construction in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade encircling Cuba. What followed constituted nearly a fortnight of unbearable stress.

An Unthinkable Danger

The threat was clear. Should President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a chain reaction of global atomic strikes and counterstrikes might have ensued, thrusting civilization toward total oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered extensively, through volumes, movies, and TV documentaries. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces an unprecedented perspective into the story. The series is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the leaders who, for 13 days, grasped the fate of the planet in their hands.

"What was the Russians considering? What was Washington planning?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in global relations.

In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its endeavor to explore: "How can people hate one another to the point they go against each other?"

"It struck me how remarkable it is that humans can be friends or can become total enemies," states Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and now a writer and lawyer. "We see this over and over when nations have gone to war, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

The Brink Towards Disaster

What is remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded so publicly, citizens globally were able to observe nearly as it happened while it crept towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation came closer than what most people realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, which would've obliterated our aircraft carriers and destroyed our largest and most important naval force. And, we would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended all life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, they succeeded in exercise restraint while calmly negotiate at a time when everyone around them was pushing for military action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was a feeling of hope.

A Different Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks in October, the fear was palpable globally. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world in the years following these events, and Nina being taught about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which portrayed a slightly different version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly fine or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided the war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. In the years to come, however, that view would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying America."

A Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so balanced , expertly crafted that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This effect is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. Yet, really, the most groundbreaking aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of America and USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a sign of optimism.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate because we got along immediately and now we are friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages are now allies, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes and Present Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason why this series feels so necessary is because we now find ourselves in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to learn