Following nearly destroying the planet, the relatives are friends’: the gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the world edged closer to ruin more so than ever in modern times. This occurred when a US reconnaissance aircraft found that Soviet nuclear missile bases were being built in the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime blockade around the island. The next phase was almost two weeks of extreme stress.

The Unthinkable Danger

The peril remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes would have ensued, thrusting humanity toward total ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined repeatedly, through books, films, as well as television programmes. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents a completely new perspective into this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the figures that, for two tense weeks, held the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin planning? What were the United States thinking?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor specializing in global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the show lies in its attempt to question: "Why do individuals hate each other and go against one another?"

"It struck me how remarkable the fact that individuals have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be complete adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and now a writer and lawyer. "We see this over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare."

A Precipice of Disaster

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens around the world could watch nearly in real time while it crept towards catastrophe. Even so, the threat of annihilation came closer than what anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike and a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians on the ground would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, which would have sunk our aircraft carriers and destroyed America's largest and most important naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation that would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, they succeeded in keep their heads and calmly negotiate when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating military action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of optimism.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Still, for those 13 days in October, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following the crisis, with Khrushcheva learned about the crisis via the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different version of what happened.

"You said your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening time," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are always fine or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was distinct. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided the war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. Subsequently, though, that interpretation was not held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Nina jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most momentous thing is the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable for descendants of the leaders of America and the USSR would appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, has to be a sign of progress.

"Max and I aren't the first," notes Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America 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, which is wonderful. Finally, after nearly six decades since almost destroying the world, our families are now friends, so I think global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Parallels with Present Dangers

Or is it? Part of why The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to learn