‘After nearly annihilating the world, the relatives have become allies’: a gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, humanity came nearer toward ruin more so than ever in modern times. This happened after an American reconnaissance aircraft discovered the fact that Soviet atomic weapon bases were under construction in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from American soil. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to enact a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period was nearly a fortnight filled with unbearable tension.

An Catastrophic Threat

The peril remained palpable. Should President Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a series of global nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes could have followed, plunging humanity into all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered endlessly, through books, movies, and television programmes. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new perspective to this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the figures that, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the world in their hands.

"What was the Kremlin thinking? What was the United States considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic specializing in global relations.

In her view, the unique appeal of the show lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can nations detest each other and confront each other?"

"It was not lost on me how profound the fact that humans can be allies or else can become total adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and now an author and lawyer. "We see this over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

A Brink Towards Catastrophe

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals worldwide could watch almost in real time while it edged towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation came closer than most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike and a ground invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would have deployed a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, which would have destroyed our naval vessels as well as sunk our largest and most important fleet. And, the U.S. would have retaliated with massive retaliation that would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to exercise restraint while calmly negotiate when many advisors in their governments demanded action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in Cuba and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was the sense of optimism.

The Different Perspective

Yet, for those two weeks in October, the tension was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it through the USSR's education system, which portrayed an alternative narrative of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, and it was a scary time," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are always fine or positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great moment it was, as it was a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, and avoided a global war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. Subsequently, however, that interpretation would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying America."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced , well produced that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most significant aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the leaders of the United States and USSR to appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Max. "Which is unfortunate since we got along immediately and now we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following almost six decades since almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become allies, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Echoes with Present Dangers

Or is it? One reason the reason this series seems so urgent is that we now are living in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to grasp