‘After nearly destroying the world, the families are friends’: a gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the planet edged closer to destruction than at any other point during modern times. This occurred following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft found that Soviet atomic missile sites were under construction in Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime blockade encircling Cuba. The next phase constituted almost 14 days of extreme tension.

The Catastrophic Threat

The danger remained palpable. Should President Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a chain reaction of worldwide atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes might have ensued, thrusting civilization into total destruction.

The October crisis has been examined extensively, through volumes, films, and television programmes. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces an unprecedented perspective into the story. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the figures that, over 13 days, held the fate of humanity in their hands.

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

In her view, the beauty of the show is its attempt to question: "How can people hate one another to the point they go against one another?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that humans have the potential to be friends or else can become complete enemies," adds Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently an author and lawyer. "We see this repeatedly in instances where countries have gone to war, demonstrating the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare."

A Brink Towards Disaster

What’s notable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, people around the world were able to observe nearly in real time while it moved towards disaster. Even so, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than what most people realised.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba with the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would have obliterated the naval vessels as well as sunk America's primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in exercise restraint while engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone around them were advocating action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of optimism.

The Different Perspective

Still, for those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was palpable globally. The podcast's co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which portrayed an alternative picture of events.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always fine and positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, because it was a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Subsequently, however, that interpretation would not be held by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up America."

An Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so balanced and expertly crafted that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This is, in part, due to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most momentous thing is the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of optimism.

"We are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is a shame since we got along really well and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after nearly six decades since almost destroying the world, our lineages are now friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels and Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to grasp