‘After nearly destroying the planet, the relatives are friends’: a thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, the world edged closer to destruction than at any other point during recent history. This transpired when an American reconnaissance plane identified the fact that Soviet atomic missile sites were being assembled in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the US mainland. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade around the island. The ensuing period was almost two weeks of impossible tension.

The Unthinkable Danger

The threat was clear. Should Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a series involving global atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes might have followed, plunging mankind toward all-out destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented extensively, in volumes, films, as well as TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought an unprecedented dimension into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the leaders who, for 13 days, held the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What was the Soviet side planning? What was Washington thinking?" asks Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also a professor specializing in international affairs.

For her, the strength of the podcast lies in its attempt to explore: "Why do nations hate one another to the point they confront one another?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that individuals have the potential to be friends or can become total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently a writer and attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

A Precipice Towards Disaster

What is remarkable regarding this event was that, because it transpired so publicly, people globally were able to observe almost as it happened while it edged closer to disaster. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation came closer than what most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and an invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, and that would have sunk our aircraft carriers and destroyed America's primary naval force. In turn, we would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements in their governments demanded action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed American missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks in October, the tension was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the USSR's education system, which presented a slightly different version of events.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a scary time," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, people 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 fine and positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, and didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful thing," she adds. Later on, however, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is so balanced and expertly crafted that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, partly, due to contributions from renowned scholars. But, truly, the most momentous thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for relatives of the leaders of America and USSR to appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America and formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met before the podcast," adds Max. "Which is a shame because we connected immediately and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, following almost six decades since almost destroying the world, our families are now friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels and Present Perils

Or is it? One reason why this series seems so urgent is that we once again are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to comprehend