Following nearly destroying the planet, our relatives are friends’: the gripping audio series from JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the world edged closer toward destruction more so than ever in the contemporary era. This transpired after a US surveillance plane found that Soviet nuclear weapon bases were under construction on Cuba, a mere 100 miles from American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval quarantine encircling the island. The ensuing period was almost 14 days of extreme tension.

An Unthinkable Danger

The threat remained palpable. Should Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a chain reaction involving global nuclear attacks followed by counterstrikes could have ensued, plunging humanity into all-out destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented extensively, through books, films, and TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought a completely new element into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the men who, for 13 days, grasped the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin considering? What was the United States considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor of global relations.

In her view, the strength of the podcast is its attempt to question: "How can individuals hate one another to the point they confront each other?"

"It struck me how spectacular it is that people can be friends or else can become complete adversaries," states Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to JFK and now a writer and attorney. "We see this repeatedly when nations have gone to war, highlighting the sheer folly it is to fight."

The Brink of Catastrophe

What is striking about this event was that, since it unfolded so publicly, people worldwide were able to observe almost as it happened as it edged towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would have deployed a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would have sunk the naval vessels and sunk America's primary fleet. In turn, we would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating military action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was the sense of optimism.

A Different Viewpoint

Yet, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after these events, with Khrushcheva being taught about it through the Soviet education system, which presented a slightly different picture of what happened.

"You said your father recalls it, and it was a scary time," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was constantly fine and positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, it was distinct. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus avoided the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. In the years to come, however, that view would not be held by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is so even-handed and well produced that Nina quips it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. But, really, the most groundbreaking aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and the USSR would appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"We are not the first," notes Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Max. "That is unfortunate since we connected really well and we are friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages have become allies, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes with Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series feels so necessary is that we now find ourselves living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to comprehend