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

In October 1962, the planet edged nearer to destruction more so than ever in recent history. This happened when an American reconnaissance aircraft identified that Russian nuclear missile bases were being built in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK directed a naval task force to impose a maritime blockade encircling the island. The ensuing period constituted almost two weeks of unbearable stress.

The Catastrophic Threat

The threat remained obvious. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear attacks followed by retaliatory strikes might have followed, casting mankind into total oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered repeatedly, in books, films, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented dimension into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the men who, for two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of humanity in their hands.

"What were the Soviet side planning? What were Washington planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor of global relations.

In her view, the strength of the show is its attempt to question: "Why do nations detest each other to the point they confront one another?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular the fact that people have the potential to be allies or else have the potential to be complete adversaries," remarks Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently a writer and attorney. "History shows this over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

A Brink of Disaster

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens worldwide were able to observe almost as it happened while it crept closer to disaster. Nonetheless, the risk of destruction was more imminent than most people realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would've fired a nuclear warhead against the American ships, and that would have obliterated our aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in remain calm while engaging in diplomacy when many advisors around them was pushing for action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew his similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was immense, as was the sense of hope.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, during those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was palpable globally. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva learned about it through the Soviet education system, which presented a slightly different version of what happened.

"You said your father remembers it, describing it as a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was constantly fine or positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Subsequently, however, that view would not be held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This is, partly, due to contributions from historians. But, really, the most groundbreaking thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable for descendants of the leaders of America and the USSR to appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"Max and I aren't the first," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, a relative moved to America where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame since we connected immediately and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after almost six decades since almost destroying the world, our lineages are now friends, so I think global relations is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is because we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to be able to learn