‘After nearly destroying our planet, our families are allies’: the thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the planet edged nearer to ruin more so than ever during modern times. This occurred when a US surveillance plane identified that Soviet nuclear weapon sites were being built in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime blockade encircling the island. The ensuing period was nearly a fortnight of extreme anxiety.

The Catastrophic Danger

The threat was palpable. Should Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a chain reaction involving global atomic attacks and retaliatory strikes might have ensued, plunging humanity into all-out ruination.

The October crisis has been documented repeatedly, through books, films, as well as television programmes. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents an unprecedented perspective to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the leaders who, over two tense weeks, held the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Russians planning? What were the United States planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the strength of the podcast is its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do people hate one another to the point they go against one another?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that humans can be allies or else have the potential to be complete enemies," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and now a writer as well as attorney. "We see this repeatedly in instances where countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What is striking regarding this event was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens globally could watch nearly as it happened as it moved towards armageddon. Even so, the threat of destruction came closer than anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would have deployed a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would've obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as sunk our primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, who managed to keep their heads while calmly negotiate when hawkish elements around them were advocating action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his missiles from Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was the sense of optimism.

The Different Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks in October, the tension was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after these events, with Khrushcheva being taught about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which presented an alternative picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know a great deal about it, since it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was constantly fine and sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, it was different. "They told me what a great moment it was, as it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and didn’t start the war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she continues. Later on, though, that interpretation was not held by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a setback for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is so balanced , expertly crafted so much so that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, in part, due to contributions from historians. Yet, really, the most groundbreaking aspect remains the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable for relatives of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union to appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we got along immediately and we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years of almost destroying the world, our families are now friends, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes and Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of why this series seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to learn