‘After almost annihilating the world, our families have become friends’: the thrilling audio series featuring John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, humanity came closer toward ruin more so than ever during recent history. This occurred following the discovery that a US reconnaissance plane identified the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon sites were under construction in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to enact a naval blockade encircling Cuba. What followed constituted almost 14 days of extreme tension.

An Catastrophic Danger

The danger remained clear. If Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a series involving global atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes would have ensued, thrusting humanity into total ruination.

The October crisis has been covered repeatedly, in books, films, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought an unprecedented perspective into the story. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the men that, for two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What was the Russians considering? What was the American side planning?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and an academic of global relations.

In her view, the unique appeal of the show is its attempt to question: "How can nations detest each other to the point they confront each other?"

"It struck me how profound the fact that people can be friends or can become complete enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and now an author and attorney. "History shows this dynamic over and over when countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."

The Precipice of Disaster

What’s notable about this event was that, because it unfolded so publicly, citizens around the world were able to observe almost in real time as it moved closer to disaster. Nonetheless, the risk of destruction was more imminent than what most people realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba with the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would've obliterated the naval vessels as well as destroyed our largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, who succeeded in keep their heads while calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors in their governments were advocating action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew his missiles from Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of hope.

The Different Perspective

Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, with Nina learned about the crisis via the USSR's education system, which presented a slightly different picture of events.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening time," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was constantly fine or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, as it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided the war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she continues. Later on, however, that interpretation would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying America."

A Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced , expertly crafted that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most groundbreaking aspect remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union would appear side by side. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"We are not the first," smiles Nina. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we connected immediately and now we are friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after almost six decades since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now friends, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Current Dangers

Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is because we once again are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to grasp