Following almost annihilating the world, our relatives are friends’: the thrilling podcast featuring John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, the planet veered nearer to annihilation more so than ever during recent history. This occurred when a US surveillance aircraft identified that Russian nuclear missile sites were under construction on Cuba, less than 100 miles from American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK commanded a naval task force to enact a maritime quarantine encircling the island. The ensuing period constituted nearly a fortnight of impossible anxiety.

An Catastrophic Threat

The danger remained clear. If President Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a cascade of worldwide nuclear attacks and counterstrikes could have ensued, casting humanity into total ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined endlessly, through books, movies, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a novel perspective to the story. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the figures who, for 13 days, grasped the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side planning? What was the American side planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic of global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "How can individuals hate each other to the point they confront one another?"

"It was not lost on me how profound the fact that individuals can be friends or have the potential to be total adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and currently an author and attorney. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

The Brink Towards Disaster

What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens around the world could watch nearly as it happened as it crept towards catastrophe. However, the risk of annihilation came closer than anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans with the naval blockade, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, and that would have destroyed the naval vessels as well as destroyed America's primary naval force. In turn, we would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy when everyone around them were advocating military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was the sense of optimism.

The Different Perspective

Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was palpable globally. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world in the years following the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative narrative of events.

"You said your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was constantly wonderful and sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed what a great occasion for the USSR, because it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful thing," she continues. In the years to come, though, that view would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. But, really, the most significant aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the leaders of America and the USSR would appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.

"We aren't the first," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, my uncle moved to America and formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "Which is a shame since we got along immediately and we are friends, which is really great. Finally, following almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become allies, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels and Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we now find ourselves in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to comprehend