Following nearly destroying the world, the relatives are allies’: a gripping audio series featuring JFK & Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the world came closer to destruction than at any other point in recent history. This occurred when a US reconnaissance aircraft identified that Russian atomic missile installations were under construction in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to impose a maritime quarantine around Cuba. The next phase was nearly 14 days filled with unbearable stress.

An Unthinkable Threat

The threat was palpable. If Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a chain reaction involving global nuclear attacks and counterstrikes might have followed, thrusting mankind toward all-out oblivion.

The October crisis has been documented endlessly, through volumes, films, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented dimension to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the leaders that, for 13 days, held the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What were the Russians planning? What was the American side planning?" asks Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also a professor of global relations.

In her view, the strength of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "How can people hate one another and oppose one another?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that humans have the potential to be allies or else have the potential to be complete enemies," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly in instances where countries enter into conflict, demonstrating the profound irrationality involved to fight."

A Brink of Disaster

What is striking about this event was that, since it unfolded so publicly, citizens around the world could watch almost as it happened as it edged closer to disaster. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction was more imminent than what most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for an airstrike and an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would've fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would've destroyed our naval vessels as well as sunk our largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have responded with massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles from Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed American similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by the sense of optimism.

The Divergent Perspective

Still, during those 13 days in October, the fear was palpable globally. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about it via the USSR's education system, which portrayed a slightly different version of events.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening day," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly wonderful or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed what a great moment for the USSR, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start the war, seen as a wonderful thing," she continues. In the years to come, though, that view would not be shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying America."

A Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed , well produced so much so that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most momentous thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for relatives of the heads of state of America and USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a sign of hope.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is a shame because we connected really well and now we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, following almost six decades of almost destroying the world, our lineages are now allies, so I think the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason why this series feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend