‘After almost annihilating our planet, our relatives are friends’: a thrilling audio series featuring John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, humanity veered nearer to destruction more so than ever in the contemporary era. This occurred after an American surveillance plane identified that Soviet nuclear weapon sites were under construction on the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. In response, U.S. President JFK commanded a naval task force to enact a naval blockade encircling the island. What followed was almost two weeks filled with extreme tension.

An Unthinkable Danger

The threat remained palpable. If President Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a series involving global atomic attacks followed by retaliatory strikes could have ensued, casting humanity into total oblivion.

The October crisis has been examined endlessly, through books, movies, and television programmes. But, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a novel perspective to the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the men who, over two tense weeks, held the destiny of humanity within their grasp.

"What was the Soviet side planning? What were the American side considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor specializing in global relations.

For her, the strength of the show lies in its attempt to explore: "How can people hate one another to the point they confront one another?"

"It was not lost on me how spectacular the fact that individuals can be friends or can become total enemies," states Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and now an author as well as lawyer. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid it is to engage in warfare."

A Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What is striking about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired so publicly, people worldwide were able to observe nearly as it happened as it edged towards armageddon. However, the threat of destruction was more imminent than what anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans using the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians stationed there would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would have sunk the naval vessels as well as destroyed our primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone around them demanded military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Still, for those two weeks in October, the fear was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world in the years following these events, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a scary time," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always fine or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful thing," she adds. Later on, however, that perspective would not be held by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is so even-handed and expertly crafted that Nina quips it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most groundbreaking thing is the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union would appear side by side. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a symbol of hope.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "After 1991, my uncle moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "Which is unfortunate because we connected really well and we are friends, which is really great. Finally, following nearly six decades of almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now friends, suggesting the world is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes and Present Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to be able to learn