‘After nearly destroying our world, the relatives are friends’: the thrilling audio series from JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, humanity came closer to annihilation more so than ever during modern times. This happened after a US surveillance plane found the fact that Soviet nuclear missile bases were being built in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. In response, President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to enact a naval quarantine around Cuba. The next phase was almost two weeks of impossible tension.

The Catastrophic Danger

The threat was clear. Should Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire on their enemy, a cascade of worldwide atomic strikes and retaliatory strikes would have ensued, casting mankind into all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been covered repeatedly, in volumes, films, and TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented element to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the leaders that, over two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What was the Soviet side planning? What were Washington considering?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the strength of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "How can individuals detest one another and go against one another?"

"It struck me how spectacular the fact that people can be allies or can become complete adversaries," states Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to JFK and now a writer and attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly in instances where countries enter into conflict, demonstrating the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice of Disaster

What is notable 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 moved towards catastrophe. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction was more imminent than what most people understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for a military strike and a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians stationed there would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have destroyed our aircraft carriers and destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation which would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, they succeeded in exercise restraint while calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of hope.

A Different Viewpoint

Yet, for those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was palpable globally. The Bomb’s presenters were born in the years following these events, with Nina learned about it via the USSR's education system, which presented an alternative version of events.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a scary time," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always fine or sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion it was, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and didn’t start a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she continues. Later on, though, that view would not be shared by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying America."

A Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot the known the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. But, really, the most groundbreaking thing remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "That is unfortunate because we got along really well and now we are friends, which is really great. Finally, after almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now allies, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels and Current Perils

Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is because we once again are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend