‘After almost annihilating the planet, the families have become allies’: the gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, the planet veered closer toward destruction more so than ever during the contemporary era. This occurred when a US reconnaissance aircraft discovered that Soviet atomic weapon bases were being built on Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. In response, President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime blockade around the island. The ensuing period constituted nearly a fortnight of extreme tension.

An Catastrophic Danger

The danger remained obvious. Should President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a cascade of worldwide atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes might have followed, plunging civilization toward all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined endlessly, through books, films, and TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought a completely new dimension to the story. It is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the men that, for 13 days, grasped the destiny of humanity within their grasp.

"What was the Kremlin thinking? What was the American side considering?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also a professor of global relations.

For her, the unique appeal of the show is its endeavor to explore: "How can people detest one another and confront one another?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular the fact that humans can be allies or else can become complete enemies," remarks Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently an author and attorney. "History shows this dynamic over and over when countries have gone to war, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

The Brink Towards Disaster

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, people worldwide could watch almost as it happened while it moved towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction was more imminent than what anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted a military strike followed by an invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would have launched a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, which would have destroyed our aircraft carriers and sunk our largest and most important naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements in their governments demanded military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew American similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by the sense of hope.

The Different Perspective

Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was palpable globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after these events, with Nina learned about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which portrayed an alternative picture of events.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was always fine or sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start the war, seen as a positive thing," she continues. In the years to come, however, that view would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant aspect is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for relatives of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm with each other, has to be a sign of optimism.

"We are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame because we connected really well and now we are friends, which is really great. Finally, after nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our families are now friends, so I think the world is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Parallels and Present Dangers

Or is it? One reason why this series seems so urgent is that we now are living living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend