Following nearly destroying the planet, our relatives have become allies’: the thrilling audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, humanity veered closer to annihilation than at any other point in the contemporary era. This occurred following the discovery that an American surveillance plane identified the fact that Soviet atomic weapon sites were being built in Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to establish a maritime blockade around the island. The ensuing period was almost two weeks of impossible stress.

An Unthinkable Danger

The peril remained palpable. If President Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a chain reaction involving worldwide atomic attacks and counterstrikes could have ensued, casting civilization toward total destruction.

The October crisis has been covered repeatedly, through volumes, movies, and television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a novel perspective into this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the men who, over 13 days, held the destiny of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin considering? What was the United States thinking?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also a professor of international affairs.

In her view, the strength of the show is its attempt to question: "Why do individuals detest one another and confront each other?"

"It struck me how profound the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be total enemies," states Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and now a writer and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations have gone to war, demonstrating the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare."

The Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is striking about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, people worldwide were able to observe almost in real time while it crept towards armageddon. However, the risk of destruction came closer than anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike and a ground invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would have fired a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, which would've destroyed our naval vessels and destroyed our largest and most important naval force. And, we would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have ended most life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads while calmly negotiate when everyone around them were advocating military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew his similar weapons based in Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of hope.

The Divergent Perspective

Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after these events, and Nina being taught about it through the Soviet education system, which painted an alternative narrative of what happened.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly wonderful and positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, as it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus avoided the war, seen as a positive thing," she adds. Later on, though, that view was not held by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so even-handed and well produced that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most momentous thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union to appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm 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 moved to America and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Max. "That is a shame because we connected immediately and now we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, following almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now friends, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Parallels and Present Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we now are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since world leaders appear not to be able to comprehend