Following nearly annihilating our planet, the families are allies’: a thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, the planet edged nearer to destruction more so than ever during recent history. This occurred following the discovery that an American reconnaissance aircraft found that Russian atomic missile sites were being built in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK directed a naval task force to impose a maritime quarantine around Cuba. What followed constituted almost two weeks filled with impossible tension.

An Catastrophic Danger

The danger remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a series involving worldwide atomic strikes and retaliatory strikes could have ensued, thrusting mankind toward all-out ruination.

The October crisis has been examined repeatedly, through volumes, films, as well as TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a novel element into the story. The series is co-presented by Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the men who, for two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Russians planning? What were Washington thinking?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and an academic specializing in international affairs.

For her, the beauty of the podcast lies in its attempt to question: "Why do nations detest each other to the point they confront one another?"

"It struck me how profound it is that individuals can be friends or else have the potential to be total enemies," remarks Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and now a writer as well as lawyer. "We see this dynamic over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality it is to fight."

The Precipice of Catastrophe

What is remarkable regarding this event is that, since it transpired so publicly, citizens around the world were able to observe almost as it happened as it moved towards disaster. However, the danger of destruction came closer than most people realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike and an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have deployed a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would've sunk our naval vessels as well as destroyed America's largest and most important naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended all life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, who succeeded in keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy when many advisors around them were advocating action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles from Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of hope.

The Different Perspective

Still, for those 13 days in October, the fear was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following these events, and Nina being taught about it via the Soviet education system, which painted a slightly different picture of events.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are constantly fine or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed what a great moment for the USSR, as it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Subsequently, though, that interpretation would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is so even-handed , expertly crafted so much so that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, partly, due to contributions from historians. But, really, the most groundbreaking aspect remains the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of America and USSR would appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a sign of progress.

"We are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Max. "Which is a shame since we got along immediately and now we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years of nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages have become allies, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels and Current Perils

Or is it? One reason the reason this series seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to comprehend