Following nearly annihilating the world, our families have become friends’: a gripping audio series from JFK & Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, humanity veered nearer to ruin more so than ever during modern times. This occurred after a US surveillance aircraft identified that Russian nuclear missile installations were being assembled on the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the US mainland. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to enact a naval quarantine encircling the island. The next phase constituted almost 14 days of impossible tension.

The Catastrophic Threat

The threat remained obvious. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire on their enemy, a chain reaction involving worldwide atomic strikes and retaliatory strikes would have followed, casting mankind toward all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered extensively, in volumes, films, as well as TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented dimension into the story. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the men that, for 13 days, controlled the fate of humanity in their hands.

"What was the Russians considering? What was the United States considering?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the show lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can people hate each other and oppose each other?"

"It struck me how spectacular the fact that humans can be allies or can become complete enemies," remarks Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently an author and lawyer. "We see this dynamic over and over when nations enter into conflict, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What is notable regarding this event is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens globally were able to observe nearly as it happened while it crept towards disaster. Even so, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than what anybody realised.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for an airstrike and a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would've destroyed our naval vessels as well as destroyed America's primary fleet. And, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, they succeeded in exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements around them was pushing for military action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the missiles in the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was a feeling of hope.

The Different Perspective

Still, for those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after the crisis, and Nina being taught about the crisis via the USSR's education system, which painted a slightly different picture of events.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a scary time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know a great deal about it, since it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are constantly wonderful and sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, as it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, which was a positive outcome," she continues. Subsequently, though, that interpretation would not be held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is so balanced and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most significant aspect remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable for relatives of the leaders of America and USSR would appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, has to be a sign of hope.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is unfortunate because we got along immediately and we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become allies, so I think the world is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes and Current Dangers

Or is it? One reason why The Bomb feels so necessary is because we now find ourselves in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen appear not to be able to comprehend