‘After nearly annihilating our planet, the families are friends’: a gripping podcast from JFK & Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, the planet veered nearer toward destruction more so than ever during the contemporary era. This happened when a US surveillance aircraft identified that Russian atomic weapon bases were being assembled on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK directed a naval task force to establish a maritime blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted nearly two weeks filled with impossible anxiety.

An Unthinkable Threat

The danger remained clear. If Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a chain reaction of global atomic strikes and counterstrikes could have followed, casting civilization into all-out oblivion.

The October crisis has been documented extensively, through books, films, as well as TV documentaries. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought an unprecedented perspective to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the men that, for two tense weeks, held the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Russians considering? What were Washington thinking?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor of global relations.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its attempt to question: "Why do nations detest one another to the point they oppose each other?"

"It struck me how remarkable the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or can become complete adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and currently an author and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic over and over when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality involved to fight."

A Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens around the world were able to observe almost as it happened while it crept towards disaster. However, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would have sunk our aircraft carriers and sunk America's largest and most important naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, who succeeded in exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone around them demanded action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in the Caribbean island while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of hope.

A Divergent Perspective

Yet, during those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was palpable globally. The podcast's co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which painted an alternative version of events.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, describing it as a scary time," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know a great deal about it, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly fine and positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "They told me what a great moment it was, because it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, and didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful thing," she continues. Later on, though, that interpretation was not shared by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably balanced , well produced that Nina quips she nearly forgot the known the ending. This effect is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most momentous aspect is the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of America and USSR to appear side by side. That these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, my uncle moved to America where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we got along really well and we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following almost 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our families are now allies, so I think global relations is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels and Current Dangers

Or is it? Part of why The Bomb seems so urgent is that we now find ourselves living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to grasp