‘After almost destroying the world, the families have become friends’: the thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, the planet came nearer toward ruin than at any other point during modern times. This transpired when a US reconnaissance plane discovered that Russian atomic weapon bases were being built in Cuba, less than 100 miles from the United States. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period was almost a fortnight filled with impossible tension.

An Catastrophic Threat

The danger was obvious. If Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes would have ensued, thrusting humanity toward all-out ruination.

The October crisis has been covered repeatedly, in books, movies, and TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents a novel perspective into this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the leaders who, over 13 days, grasped the fate of the world in their hands.

"What was the Russians considering? What was the American side planning?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and an academic of international affairs.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "How can individuals detest each other to the point they confront each other?"

"It struck me how remarkable it is that people can be allies or else have the potential to be total adversaries," states Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

The Brink Towards Disaster

What’s striking about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired so publicly, citizens around the world could watch nearly as it happened while it crept towards catastrophe. However, the threat of destruction came closer than what most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians on the ground would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would've destroyed the aircraft carriers and sunk America's largest and most important naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended most life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone in their governments were advocating military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was the sense of hope.

The Different Perspective

Yet, during those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was palpable by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world shortly after the crisis, with Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which portrayed an alternative picture of events.

"You said your parent recalls it, describing it as a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal about it, because it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was always wonderful and positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, because it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, and avoided a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. Subsequently, however, that perspective was not shared by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

An Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, partly, due to contributions from historians. But, really, the most momentous aspect remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and USSR would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I are not the first," notes Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame since we connected really well and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, after almost six decades of nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now friends, suggesting the world is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels and Current Perils

Or is it? Part of why this series seems so urgent is because we once again are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to be able to grasp