Following nearly destroying the world, our relatives are allies’: a thrilling audio series featuring JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, the world edged closer toward ruin than at any other point during modern times. This occurred following the discovery that an American reconnaissance aircraft discovered that Russian atomic weapon installations were being assembled in Cuba, less than 100 miles from the United States. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to enact a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. What followed constituted nearly a fortnight filled with impossible tension.

The Unthinkable Threat

The peril was obvious. Should President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a series of worldwide nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes might have followed, casting mankind toward all-out ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined endlessly, in books, movies, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces a novel element to this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the figures that, for two tense weeks, grasped the fate of the world in their hands.

"What were the Russians planning? What were the United States thinking?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the strength of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "How can nations hate each other to the point they confront each other?"

"It struck me how profound it is that individuals can be friends or have the potential to be total enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid it is to engage in warfare."

A Precipice of Catastrophe

What is striking about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded so publicly, individuals globally could watch almost as it happened as it crept closer to armageddon. Even so, the threat of destruction was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, and that would have obliterated our naval vessels as well as sunk America's primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, who managed to remain calm while engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed American missiles from Turkey. The relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, for those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after these events, with Nina learned about the crisis through the USSR's school curriculum, which painted a slightly different picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a scary time," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware that much about it, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are always wonderful or sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, as it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. Later on, though, that interpretation was not held by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so even-handed , well produced so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR to appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "That is unfortunate because we connected really well and we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, after nearly six decades of almost destroying the world, our lineages are now friends, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels with Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series feels so necessary is that we now find ourselves in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to comprehend