‘After nearly annihilating our planet, the relatives have become friends’: the thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, humanity veered nearer to ruin than at any other point during modern times. This happened when a US reconnaissance plane discovered that Soviet nuclear weapon installations were being assembled on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the United States. In response, President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime blockade encircling the island. The next phase constituted nearly 14 days of unbearable stress.

The Unthinkable Danger

The peril was palpable. If President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a chain reaction involving global atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes could have followed, thrusting humanity toward total ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, in books, movies, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought a completely new dimension into the story. The series is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the leaders that, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the world in their hands.

"What were the Russians considering? What were the United States considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in international affairs.

For her, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt to question: "How can individuals hate each other and oppose one another?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that humans have the potential to be allies or else can become complete adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now a writer and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly in instances where nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice of Disaster

What is striking regarding this event is that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, individuals around the world could watch almost in real time as it edged towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction came closer than anybody realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by an invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would've destroyed our aircraft carriers as well as sunk our largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, they managed to remain calm while engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone in their governments were advocating military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Still, during those 13 days in October, the tension was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it via the Soviet education system, which painted a slightly different version of what happened.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a scary day," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that things are always wonderful or sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, it was distinct. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she continues. Subsequently, however, that view would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced , expertly crafted that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, partly, due to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of optimism.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Max. "That is a shame since we got along really well and now we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, after almost 60 years since almost destroying the world, our lineages are now allies, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels and Current Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason this series feels so necessary is that we once again are living living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn