Following almost destroying our planet, our relatives have become allies’: the thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, humanity came nearer toward destruction more so than ever in recent history. This occurred when a US surveillance plane found the fact that Russian nuclear missile sites were being assembled in the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from American soil. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade encircling the island. The next phase constituted nearly two weeks of unbearable anxiety.

The Catastrophic Threat

The peril was obvious. Should Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a series involving global nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes would have followed, thrusting humanity toward total ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined repeatedly, through books, films, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought a completely new perspective to the story. The series is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the figures that, over two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side thinking? What was Washington considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also an academic of global relations.

In her view, the strength of the show lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do people hate each other to the point they oppose each other?"

"It struck me how remarkable the fact that people have the potential to be allies or else have the potential to be complete adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently an author and attorney. "We see this dynamic over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid it is to engage in warfare."

The Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What is striking regarding this event is that, because it transpired so publicly, citizens around the world were able to observe nearly as it happened while it crept towards catastrophe. However, the threat of annihilation came closer than most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, it is certain Soviet forces on the ground would have fired a nuclear warhead against the American ships, which would've sunk our naval vessels and sunk our largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have ended most life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint and calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors around them demanded action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew American similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by the sense of optimism.

The Different Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva learned about it through the Soviet education system, which portrayed an alternative narrative of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always fine or positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, it was distinct. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. Subsequently, however, that view was not held by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying America."

An Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , well produced that Nina quips it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, in part, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for descendants of the heads of state of the United States and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 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 were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame since we got along immediately and now we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years since almost destroying the world, our lineages have become friends, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels and Current Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again 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