Following nearly destroying the world, our families are friends’: a thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the world veered closer toward destruction than at any other point during recent history. This occurred following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane identified that Soviet nuclear weapon bases were being built on Cuba, less than 100 miles from the US mainland. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to impose a naval quarantine around Cuba. The next phase was nearly two weeks of unbearable stress.

An Unthinkable Danger

The peril was obvious. Should Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a cascade involving global nuclear attacks followed by retaliatory strikes would have ensued, thrusting civilization into all-out ruination.

The October crisis has been examined endlessly, in volumes, films, as well as television programmes. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces a completely new element into this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the men that, for two tense weeks, held the fate of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Russians thinking? What was the American side considering?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast lies in its attempt to explore: "How can individuals hate one another and go against one another?"

"I am acutely aware how remarkable the fact that humans have the potential to be friends or have the potential to be total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, demonstrating the sheer folly involved to fight."

The Brink of Catastrophe

What’s striking about this event is that, because it unfolded so publicly, citizens globally could watch nearly in real time while it edged towards disaster. However, the danger of annihilation came closer than what most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would've fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would have destroyed our aircraft carriers and sunk our largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in remain calm while engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone in their governments was pushing for action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the missiles in Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, matched by a feeling of hope.

A Different Perspective

Still, for those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was felt globally. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world shortly after these events, with Khrushcheva learned about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which presented a slightly different version of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always fine or sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and avoided the war, which was a positive thing," she continues. In the years to come, though, that view would not be shared by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so balanced and well produced that Nina jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of progress.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame because we got along really well and now we are friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after nearly six decades since almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Parallels with Current Dangers

Or is it? Part of why this series seems so urgent is because we once again are living living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since world leaders appear not to be able to comprehend