‘After nearly annihilating the planet, our families are allies’: a gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the world veered closer toward ruin than at any other point during modern times. This occurred following the discovery that an American surveillance aircraft identified the fact that Russian atomic weapon bases were being assembled on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the US mainland. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to enact a naval quarantine around Cuba. What followed constituted nearly two weeks filled with extreme stress.

An Unthinkable Threat

The threat was palpable. Should President Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear attacks followed by counterstrikes might have ensued, plunging mankind toward all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, in books, films, and television programmes. But, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a novel dimension into the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the leaders who, over two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What was the Russians planning? What were the United States considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor specializing in international affairs.

For her, the unique appeal of the show lies in its attempt to explore: "How can nations detest one another and go against each other?"

"It was not lost on me how spectacular the fact that individuals can be allies or else can become complete adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and currently an author as well as attorney. "We see this repeatedly in instances where countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare."

A Precipice of Disaster

What’s notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired so publicly, people globally could watch almost in real time as it edged closer to disaster. Nonetheless, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike and an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would have fired a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, which would have destroyed our aircraft carriers and destroyed America's largest and most important naval force. And, we would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, who succeeded in exercise restraint while calmly negotiate when many advisors around them demanded military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his missiles based in Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of optimism.

The Different Perspective

Still, during those two weeks in October, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts were born shortly after these events, and Nina learned about it through the Soviet education system, which portrayed an alternative version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, 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 fine or sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was different. "I was informed what a great occasion for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, and didn’t start a global war, which was a positive outcome," she continues. Later on, however, that interpretation would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying America."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably balanced and well produced that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most groundbreaking thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of progress.

"Max and I are not the first," notes Nina. "After 1991, my uncle moved to America and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame because we connected immediately and we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, after nearly six decades of nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become friends, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Parallels with Present Perils

Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is that we now find ourselves in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to be able to grasp