‘After almost annihilating our planet, the relatives have become friends’: a gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, the planet veered closer to annihilation than at any other point in the contemporary era. This happened when a US reconnaissance aircraft identified the fact that Soviet atomic missile installations were being built in Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime quarantine encircling Cuba. What followed constituted nearly two weeks filled with unbearable stress.

An Catastrophic Danger

The peril was clear. Should President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a chain reaction of worldwide atomic attacks and retaliatory strikes might have followed, thrusting humanity into all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been covered repeatedly, through volumes, movies, as well as TV documentaries. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces a completely new element into this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the leaders who, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of humanity in their hands.

"What were the Soviet side thinking? What were the American side thinking?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast is its attempt to question: "Why do individuals hate each other to the point they oppose one another?"

"It was not lost on me how spectacular the fact that people have the potential to be allies or else can become complete enemies," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now a writer and attorney. "History shows this over and over when countries have gone to war, highlighting the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

A Brink Towards Disaster

What is notable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, people around the world were able to observe almost as it happened as it edged towards disaster. Even so, the danger of annihilation came closer than what anybody understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would have deployed a nuclear warhead against the American ships, and that would have sunk the aircraft carriers and sunk America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in remain calm and calmly negotiate when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American missiles from Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was a feeling of optimism.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those 13 days in October, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, and Nina learned about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which presented a slightly different picture of events.

"You said your father remembers it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly fine or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided the war, which was a wonderful thing," she continues. Subsequently, however, that interpretation would not be shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is so even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, in part, due to contributions from renowned scholars. But, truly, the most momentous aspect remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the leaders of America and the USSR would appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of optimism.

"We are not the first," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "That is a shame because we connected immediately and now we’re friends, something that is really great. Finally, following nearly 60 years since almost destroying the world, our lineages have become friends, suggesting global relations is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels and Current Perils

Or is it? Part of why this series seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to learn