Following almost destroying the planet, the families are friends’: the gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the planet veered closer to annihilation more so than ever during the contemporary era. This happened when a US reconnaissance aircraft found the fact that Soviet atomic weapon sites were being built in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to enact a maritime blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted almost two weeks of impossible tension.

An Unthinkable Threat

The threat remained palpable. Should President Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a chain reaction involving worldwide nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes might have ensued, casting civilization toward all-out ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered repeatedly, in books, films, as well as television programmes. However, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces a novel element into this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the men that, over two tense weeks, held the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Russians considering? What were the American side considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic of international affairs.

In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its endeavor to question: "How can people hate one another to the point they confront each other?"

"It struck me how spectacular the fact that individuals can be friends or else have the potential to be total adversaries," states Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now an author and lawyer. "We see this dynamic over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What’s remarkable about this event is that, because it unfolded so publicly, citizens globally were able to observe almost in real time as it moved closer to catastrophe. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation came closer than what most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for a military strike and a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would've obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as sunk our largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in exercise restraint and calmly negotiate at a time when everyone around them were advocating action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed American similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was a feeling of optimism.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following these events, with Nina learned about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which presented an alternative narrative of events.

"You said your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening day," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal about it, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always wonderful and positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed what a great occasion for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Subsequently, though, that perspective was not held by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is so balanced and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, truly, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. 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 exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of hope.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we connected immediately and now we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly six decades since almost destroying the world, our families are now allies, so I think global relations is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels with Current Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason this series feels so necessary is that we now find ourselves living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp