‘After almost destroying our world, the relatives are allies’: a gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, humanity veered closer toward ruin more so than ever in recent history. This happened after an American reconnaissance plane discovered the fact that Russian atomic missile sites were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from the US mainland. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to enact a maritime blockade encircling the island. What followed was nearly 14 days filled with unbearable tension.

An Unthinkable Danger

The threat remained clear. If President Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a chain reaction of global atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes would have followed, plunging civilization into total ruination.

The October crisis has been examined repeatedly, in volumes, films, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces a completely new perspective to the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the figures who, for 13 days, grasped the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What was the Soviet side planning? What were the American side considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic of global relations.

For her, the beauty of the show is its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can nations hate one another to the point they oppose each other?"

"It was not lost on me how profound the fact that individuals have the potential to be friends or can become complete adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now a writer and attorney. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where countries enter into conflict, demonstrating the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice of Disaster

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired so publicly, people globally were able to observe almost as it happened while it crept towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation came closer than what anybody realised.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have sunk the aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, they succeeded in remain calm while engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed American missiles based in Turkey. The relief was palpable, matched by the sense of optimism.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, for those 13 days in October, the anxiety was palpable globally. The podcast's co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, with Nina learned about the crisis through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different narrative of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly wonderful and positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she continues. Later on, though, that interpretation was not held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced , expertly crafted that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This is, partly, due to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable that descendants of the leaders of the United States and USSR would appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a sign of progress.

"We are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we connected immediately and we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, after nearly 60 years since almost destroying the world, our lineages are now allies, so I think the world is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Parallels with Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of why this series seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to be able to learn