‘After nearly annihilating our world, the relatives are friends’: the thrilling podcast featuring John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, the world edged nearer toward annihilation than at any other point in the contemporary era. This transpired after an American reconnaissance plane discovered that Soviet nuclear weapon bases were being assembled on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered a naval task force to establish a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period was almost 14 days of unbearable stress.

The Unthinkable Danger

The threat was clear. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a chain reaction of global atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes might have followed, plunging humanity toward total ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented extensively, in books, films, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a novel dimension into the story. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the figures that, over 13 days, held the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What was the Soviet side considering? What was the United States planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor of global relations.

In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do people hate one another to the point they confront one another?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular the fact that individuals can be allies or else can become total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and now a writer and attorney. "History shows this repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly involved to fight."

A Brink Towards Catastrophe

What’s notable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens globally were able to observe almost in real time while it edged towards disaster. However, the risk of annihilation came closer than what anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and an invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would have sunk our naval vessels as well as destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. And, we would have retaliated with massive retaliation that would have ended all life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads while calmly negotiate when everyone around them demanded military action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was the sense of hope.

The Divergent Perspective

Yet, for those 13 days in October, the fear was palpable globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva learned about the crisis via the Soviet education system, which portrayed an alternative narrative of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a scary day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always wonderful and positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, seen as a wonderful thing," she continues. In the years to come, however, that view would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is so balanced , well produced that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most momentous aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm with each other, has to be a symbol of hope.

"We are not the first," notes Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we got along immediately and we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years of almost destroying the world, our families are now allies, so I think the world is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes and Present Dangers

Or is it? Part of why this series seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to be able to learn