‘After almost destroying the planet, the relatives are allies’: the gripping audio series featuring JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, the planet edged closer toward annihilation than at any other point in the contemporary era. This transpired after an American reconnaissance plane identified that Russian nuclear missile bases were under construction in the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK commanded a naval task force to establish a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. What followed was nearly 14 days filled with extreme anxiety.

The Catastrophic Threat

The danger remained obvious. Should President Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a series involving global atomic strikes and retaliatory strikes would have followed, casting humanity into all-out oblivion.

The October crisis has been examined repeatedly, in books, movies, and TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented element into the story. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the leaders that, for two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What were the Soviet side planning? What was the United States considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also a professor of international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast lies in its attempt to explore: "Why do nations hate each other and go against each other?"

"I am acutely aware how profound it is that people can be friends or else have the potential to be complete enemies," remarks Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently an author and attorney. "We see this repeatedly when countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare."

A Brink Towards Catastrophe

What’s notable regarding this event is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens globally were able to observe nearly in real time as it edged closer to armageddon. However, the danger of destruction came closer than most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians stationed there would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, which would've sunk the naval vessels and sunk America's primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy when everyone in their governments demanded action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the missiles in Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, during those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world in the years following the crisis, and Nina learned about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which presented a slightly different narrative of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know that much about it, since it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always fine or positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, it was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion it was, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and didn’t start the war, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. Later on, though, that view was not held by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot the known the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most groundbreaking aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of the United States and USSR would appear together publicly. That these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"We are not the first," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, a relative moved to America and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate since we connected immediately and now we are friends, which is really great. Finally, following nearly six decades since almost destroying the world, our families have become allies, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit."

Modern Parallels and Current Dangers

Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to be able to grasp