Following nearly annihilating our world, our families are allies’: the thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, humanity edged closer to annihilation more so than ever during recent history. This happened following the discovery that an American reconnaissance aircraft discovered that Soviet atomic missile sites were being assembled on the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. In response, U.S. President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval quarantine around Cuba. The next phase was almost a fortnight of impossible tension.

An Unthinkable Threat

The peril was obvious. Should Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a cascade of worldwide nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes would have ensued, casting civilization into total ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered extensively, in volumes, movies, as well as television programmes. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces a completely new element into the story. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the men who, for 13 days, grasped the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What was the Russians thinking? What were Washington thinking?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the strength of the show lies in its attempt to question: "Why do people hate each other and oppose each other?"

"It struck me how remarkable it is that people can be friends or have the potential to be complete adversaries," states Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and now a writer as well as attorney. "We see this repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

The Brink Towards Disaster

What is notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens globally were able to observe nearly in real time as it edged towards catastrophe. Even so, the danger of destruction was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would've fired a nuclear warhead against the American ships, which would have sunk our aircraft carriers as well as destroyed our primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation which would have ended all life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, who succeeded in keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy when many advisors in their governments demanded action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed American similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of hope.

A Different Perspective

Yet, for those 13 days in October, the fear was felt globally. The podcast's co-hosts were born in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about it through the USSR's education system, which portrayed a slightly different version of what happened.

"You said your father remembers it, and it was a scary time," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always wonderful and sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and didn’t start the war, which was a positive thing," she adds. In the years to come, though, that interpretation would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced , well produced so much so that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, in part, due to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most significant aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and USSR to appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm with each other, has to be a symbol of progress.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we got along really well and now we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after almost 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now allies, so I think the world is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes and Current Perils

Or is it? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to be able to comprehend