‘After nearly annihilating the world, the relatives have become allies’: the gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, humanity edged closer to destruction more so than ever in the contemporary era. This occurred when a US reconnaissance aircraft discovered that Russian atomic missile bases were under construction on the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President JFK commanded a naval task force to establish a maritime blockade around the island. What followed was nearly two weeks filled with unbearable stress.

The Unthinkable Danger

The peril was obvious. Should President Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a cascade of global nuclear attacks followed by counterstrikes would have followed, casting civilization toward total ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented endlessly, through volumes, films, as well as TV documentaries. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces a novel dimension to this historical narrative. The series is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the figures who, for 13 days, controlled the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What was the Russians planning? What was Washington planning?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic of global relations.

For her, the strength of the show is its endeavor to explore: "How can individuals hate one another and oppose one another?"

"I am acutely aware how profound it is that humans can be allies or else can become total adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now a writer and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality it is to fight."

A Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What is notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, people around the world were able to observe almost as it happened as it moved closer to disaster. However, the danger of destruction was more imminent than what anybody realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the naval blockade, it is certain Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've destroyed our aircraft carriers and sunk America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to exercise restraint while calmly negotiate when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by a feeling of optimism.

A Different Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt globally. The podcast's presenters were born shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva learned about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which painted a slightly different version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, and it was a scary time," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are always wonderful or sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, it was distinct. "I was informed what a great moment it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start the war, seen as a wonderful thing," she continues. Later on, however, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying America."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably balanced , expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, in part, thanks to contributions from historians. But, really, the most significant aspect remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we got along immediately and now we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly six decades of almost destroying the planet, our families have become allies, so I think the world is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels and Current Perils

Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we now 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 be able to comprehend