‘After nearly destroying the planet, the families are allies’: the gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, humanity came nearer to annihilation more so than ever in recent history. This occurred following the discovery that an American surveillance plane identified that Soviet nuclear weapon sites were being assembled in the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from American soil. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to impose a maritime blockade encircling the island. The ensuing period constituted almost two weeks filled with impossible anxiety.

The Unthinkable Threat

The danger was obvious. If Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a series involving global atomic attacks and counterstrikes might have ensued, thrusting humanity into total ruination.

The October crisis has been covered extensively, in books, films, as well as TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents a novel perspective into the story. The series is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the men that, for two tense weeks, held the destiny of the planet within their grasp.

"What was the Kremlin thinking? What was the American side considering?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic of global relations.

For her, the beauty of the show lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can nations hate one another to the point they confront each other?"

"It was not lost on me how spectacular the fact that individuals can be friends or have the potential to be complete enemies," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and now a writer and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic over and over when countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, people globally were able to observe nearly in real time while it crept towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than what anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans with the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have fired a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've destroyed the aircraft carriers and destroyed our primary fleet. In turn, we would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, they succeeded in remain calm while calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements around them demanded military action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his missiles based in Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by a feeling of optimism.

A Divergent Perspective

Still, for those 13 days in October, the tension was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, with Nina being taught about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which presented a slightly different narrative of events.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a scary time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly fine and positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, it was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, and didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, however, that perspective was not shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most significant thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable that descendants of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of hope.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is a shame because we got along really well and now we’re friends, something that is really great. Finally, following almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Dangers

Or is it? Part of why this series feels so necessary is because we once again are living living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders don’t seem to be able to grasp