Following nearly annihilating the planet, our families are allies’: the thrilling audio series from JFK and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, the planet edged nearer to ruin than at any other point during recent history. This transpired following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft found the fact that Russian nuclear weapon bases were being assembled in Cuba, a mere 100 miles from American soil. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval quarantine encircling the island. What followed was almost 14 days of impossible anxiety.

The Unthinkable Danger

The danger was obvious. Should Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a series involving global atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes could have followed, thrusting mankind into total oblivion.

The October crisis has been examined extensively, in books, films, and television programmes. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces a novel dimension to this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the men that, over 13 days, controlled the destiny of humanity within their grasp.

"What was the Kremlin thinking? What was the American side thinking?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic of international affairs.

In her view, the strength of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "How can people detest each other to the point they oppose one another?"

"It was not lost on me how spectacular it is that individuals can be allies or can become complete adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently an author and attorney. "History shows this over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."

A Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is striking about the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded so publicly, citizens around the world could watch almost in real time while it moved towards disaster. However, the danger of destruction came closer than what most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would've fired a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have sunk our aircraft carriers and sunk our largest and most important fleet. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in exercise restraint and calmly negotiate when everyone in their governments demanded military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was the sense of optimism.

The Divergent Perspective

Yet, during those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, and Nina being taught about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which presented an alternative version of what happened.

"You said your father remembers it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware a great deal about it, since it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always fine or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, as it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful thing," she continues. Later on, though, that interpretation would not be held by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is so even-handed and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This effect is, in part, due to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most momentous aspect remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of America and Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"We aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate because we connected really well and now we are friends, which is really great. Finally, after nearly 60 years of nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages are now friends, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes with Present Perils

Or is it? One reason the reason this series feels so necessary is because we now are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to be able to learn