‘After nearly destroying the planet, the relatives have become friends’: a thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, humanity edged closer to annihilation than at any other point during the contemporary era. This happened following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane identified that Russian atomic missile installations were under construction in the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from the US mainland. In response, President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime blockade around Cuba. What followed constituted nearly a fortnight filled with impossible anxiety.

An Unthinkable Danger

The peril remained clear. If Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a series of global atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes could have ensued, thrusting mankind into all-out ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined repeatedly, in volumes, movies, as well as TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a completely new dimension to the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the men who, for two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of humanity in their hands.

"What was the Kremlin considering? What were the United States considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and an academic specializing in global relations.

For her, the strength of the show is its endeavor to explore: "Why do nations detest each other and confront one another?"

"It struck me how spectacular the fact that people have the potential to be allies or else can become total enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently an author and attorney. "We see this repeatedly when countries have gone to war, demonstrating the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice of Disaster

What’s striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, people worldwide could watch almost in real time as it moved closer to armageddon. However, the threat of annihilation came closer than what anybody realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians on the ground would've fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would have destroyed the aircraft carriers and sunk America's largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to exercise restraint while calmly negotiate at a time when everyone in their governments was pushing for military action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in the Caribbean island while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed his similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by the sense of hope.

The Divergent Perspective

Yet, during those 13 days in October, the anxiety was palpable globally. The podcast's co-hosts were born shortly after these events, and Nina learned about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always wonderful or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, and avoided the war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she continues. In the years to come, though, that view would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, simply 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 historians. But, truly, the most groundbreaking thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and USSR to appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of progress.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate since we got along immediately and we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our families have become allies, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes and Present Dangers

Or is it? Part of why this series feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since world leaders appear not to be able to grasp