‘After nearly destroying the planet, our families are friends’: the gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, the planet edged nearer toward annihilation than at any other point during the contemporary era. This transpired following the discovery that a US surveillance aircraft identified that Soviet nuclear missile bases were under construction in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. In response, President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to impose a naval blockade around the island. The next phase constituted almost a fortnight filled with unbearable stress.

The Unthinkable Threat

The peril was palpable. If President Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a cascade of global nuclear strikes and counterstrikes would have ensued, thrusting humanity into all-out oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered extensively, through volumes, movies, as well as TV documentaries. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents a novel element to this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the men who, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of humanity in their hands.

"What were the Russians considering? What were the American side planning?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor of global relations.

In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast is its attempt to question: "How can nations hate one another and go against one another?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that individuals have the potential to be friends or have the potential to be complete enemies," states Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to JFK and now an author as well as attorney. "We see this over and over when nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality involved to fight."

A Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What’s notable regarding this event was that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, people around the world could watch nearly as it happened while it crept closer to catastrophe. Even so, the risk of destruction was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the naval blockade, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would have launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, and that would've obliterated our aircraft carriers as well as destroyed our largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have responded with massive retaliation which would have ended all life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, they succeeded in exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone around them were advocating action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Different Perspective

Still, for those 13 days in October, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born shortly after these events, and Nina being taught about the crisis through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different narrative of what happened.

"You said your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was constantly wonderful or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Later on, though, that view was not shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably balanced and well produced so much so that Nina quips it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, partly, due to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most significant aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a sign of progress.

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

"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame because we got along really well and we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, following nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages have become allies, so I think the world is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Echoes with Current Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of why The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to learn