Following almost destroying our world, the families have become friends’: a thrilling podcast from JFK & Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, the world came nearer to annihilation than at any other point in recent history. This occurred when an American reconnaissance plane identified that Russian atomic weapon bases were being assembled in Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the United States. In response, President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime quarantine around the island. What followed was almost 14 days filled with extreme tension.

An Catastrophic Danger

The danger was obvious. If President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a cascade involving worldwide nuclear attacks followed by counterstrikes would have ensued, casting mankind into total oblivion.

The October crisis has been examined endlessly, through volumes, films, and TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents a novel dimension to the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the leaders who, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin planning? What was Washington considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and a professor specializing in global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the show lies in its attempt to explore: "Why do individuals hate each other and go against one another?"

"It was not lost on me how profound the fact that humans can be allies or have the potential to be complete adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and currently a writer and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic over and over when nations enter into conflict, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid it is to engage in warfare."

A Precipice of Catastrophe

What is remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired so publicly, individuals globally could watch nearly in real time while it moved towards catastrophe. However, the danger of destruction came closer than what most people understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike and a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would've sunk our aircraft carriers as well as destroyed our primary fleet. And, we would have responded with massive retaliation which would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, who succeeded in remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for military action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his similar weapons based in Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by the sense of optimism.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, during those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, and Nina learned about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different narrative of events.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, describing it as a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal about it, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always wonderful and sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, it was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and avoided the war, seen as a positive outcome," she continues. Later on, though, that perspective would not be held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying America."

An Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is so even-handed and expertly crafted that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most momentous thing is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of progress.

"We aren't the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate since we got along really well and we are friends, which is really great. Finally, after almost 60 years since almost destroying the world, our lineages are now allies, so I think global relations is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Perils

Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to learn