Following nearly annihilating the world, the families have become allies’: a thrilling audio series from JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, humanity veered nearer to annihilation than at any other point in the contemporary era. This occurred when a US surveillance aircraft discovered the fact that Soviet atomic missile bases were being assembled in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime quarantine encircling the island. The next phase was almost a fortnight of unbearable anxiety.

An Catastrophic Threat

The danger remained clear. If Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a chain reaction of worldwide atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes might have ensued, plunging mankind toward total destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, through books, movies, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents an unprecedented element to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the men who, over two tense weeks, grasped the fate of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side thinking? What was the American side planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor of international affairs.

In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "How can people detest each other to the point they confront one another?"

"It struck me how spectacular it is that humans can be allies or have the potential to be total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and currently an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare."

The Precipice of Disaster

What is remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals globally could watch almost as it happened as it crept towards armageddon. Even so, the danger of destruction came closer than what most people understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would've fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would've destroyed our naval vessels and sunk our primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in keep their heads while calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors around them demanded action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the missiles from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his similar weapons based in Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was the sense of optimism.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those 13 days in October, the anxiety was palpable globally. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following these events, with Khrushcheva being taught about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which presented an alternative narrative of events.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware a great deal about it, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was constantly wonderful and positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, seen as a wonderful thing," she adds. In the years to come, however, that perspective would not be held by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This effect is, partly, due to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most groundbreaking aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"We aren't the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we connected really well and now we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following almost six decades of nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now allies, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to learn