Following almost annihilating our planet, our relatives are friends’: a thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, the planet veered nearer toward annihilation more so than ever during the contemporary era. This transpired after a US surveillance aircraft identified that Soviet atomic missile bases were under construction in Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime blockade encircling the island. The next phase was nearly 14 days filled with extreme tension.

The Unthinkable Danger

The danger was palpable. Should President Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a series involving worldwide nuclear strikes and counterstrikes could have ensued, casting humanity toward all-out ruination.

The October crisis has been covered extensively, through volumes, movies, as well as TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces a completely new element into this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the men who, for 13 days, held the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Russians thinking? What was the United States considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and an academic specializing in global relations.

For her, the beauty of the podcast lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can individuals detest each other to the point they oppose each other?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable the fact that people have the potential to be friends or have the potential to be complete enemies," adds Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now an author and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic over and over in instances where countries enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare."

The Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, people globally could watch nearly in real time while it moved closer to catastrophe. Even so, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than anybody realised.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would have fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would have obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's largest and most important naval force. And, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended all life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors around them was pushing for military action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his missiles based in Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Different Perspective

Yet, during those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born shortly after these events, and Nina learned about the crisis via the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different picture of events.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was constantly fine or positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, as it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and avoided a global war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. Subsequently, however, that interpretation was not held by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up America."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced , well produced so much so that Nina jokes it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most momentous thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of America 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 sign of optimism.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate because we connected really well and now we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become allies, suggesting the world is safer, somewhat."

Modern Parallels and Current Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason this series seems so urgent is because we once again find ourselves in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to comprehend