Following nearly annihilating our planet, our relatives are friends’: a thrilling audio series featuring John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the world veered nearer toward ruin more so than ever in the contemporary era. This happened after an American reconnaissance plane identified the fact that Soviet atomic weapon bases were being assembled in the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime blockade around the island. The ensuing period was almost a fortnight of unbearable tension.

An Catastrophic Danger

The threat remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a cascade of global atomic attacks and counterstrikes might have followed, thrusting civilization toward all-out oblivion.

The October crisis has been examined endlessly, in books, movies, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought an unprecedented element to this historical narrative. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the men who, over 13 days, held the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What was the Russians considering? What was the United States thinking?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in global relations.

For her, the beauty of the show lies in its endeavor to explore: "Why do nations detest each other to the point they confront one another?"

"I am acutely aware how remarkable it is that people have the potential to be friends or else can become complete adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to the late president and now an author and attorney. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly in instances where countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the sheer folly involved to fight."

A Brink Towards Disaster

What is remarkable about this event was that, since it transpired so publicly, people around the world were able to observe almost as it happened as it crept towards catastrophe. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than what anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians on the ground would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have destroyed the aircraft carriers and destroyed America's largest and most important naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint while engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors in their governments demanded action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by the sense of optimism.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, for those two weeks in October, the fear was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after these events, and Nina learned about it via the Soviet education system, which painted a slightly different picture of events.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that things are always fine and sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, and didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. In the years to come, however, that interpretation was not held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America."

An Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced , expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of America and USSR to appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we had never met before the podcast," adds Max. "That is a shame since we got along really well and we’re friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following almost 60 years since almost destroying the world, our families have become allies, so I think global relations is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp