‘After nearly destroying our world, the relatives have become friends’: the thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, the planet edged closer toward destruction than at any other point during the contemporary era. This transpired when an American surveillance aircraft discovered that Soviet nuclear missile bases were being assembled on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the US mainland. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime quarantine encircling Cuba. What followed constituted nearly a fortnight of extreme tension.

An Unthinkable Danger

The threat was obvious. If President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear attacks and counterstrikes could have followed, thrusting civilization into all-out ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered extensively, through volumes, films, as well as television programmes. But, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents an unprecedented dimension into the story. The series is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the men that, over 13 days, held the fate of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Russians planning? What were the United States planning?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor of global relations.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "Why do nations detest each other and oppose one another?"

"It struck me how spectacular the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or else can become total adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently an author as well as lawyer. "We see this over and over when countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare."

A Brink Towards Disaster

What’s striking regarding this event is that, because it unfolded so publicly, people worldwide were able to observe nearly as it happened while it moved towards catastrophe. Even so, the danger of annihilation came closer than most people realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for an airstrike and a ground invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans with the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians on the ground would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have sunk our naval vessels as well as destroyed our primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated with massive retaliation that would have ended most life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, they managed to keep their heads and calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors around them demanded action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was the sense of optimism.

The Divergent Perspective

Yet, during those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born in the years following the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the USSR's education system, which portrayed a slightly different version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, describing it as a frightening day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much about it, since it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that things are constantly wonderful or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, as it was a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, and didn’t start a global war, which was a positive thing," she adds. In the years to come, though, that perspective would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is remarkably balanced , well produced that Nina quips it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of historians. But, really, the most groundbreaking thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and the USSR would appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a sign of progress.

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

"However we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate because we connected immediately and we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, after almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our families are now friends, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes and Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of why this series feels so necessary is that we now are living in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to comprehend