‘After almost annihilating the planet, the relatives have become allies’: the gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, the world edged nearer toward annihilation than at any other point during modern times. This occurred after an American surveillance aircraft identified that Soviet atomic weapon installations were being built in the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. In response, U.S. President JFK directed a naval task force to establish a naval quarantine around Cuba. The next phase was almost a fortnight of impossible stress.

An Catastrophic Threat

The threat was obvious. If Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a chain reaction involving worldwide atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes might have followed, plunging civilization toward total destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined repeatedly, through books, movies, as well as TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents an unprecedented dimension to the story. The series is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the leaders that, over 13 days, grasped the fate of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side thinking? What were Washington considering?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic specializing in global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the show is its attempt to question: "Why do individuals hate each other to the point they confront each other?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that humans can be allies or else have the potential to be complete adversaries," remarks Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently an author and attorney. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, highlighting how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

A Precipice of Catastrophe

What is remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens globally were able to observe almost as it happened as it crept towards disaster. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation came closer than what most people realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike and an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans with the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would've fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would have sunk the aircraft carriers and sunk our largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated with massive retaliation which would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in exercise restraint while calmly negotiate when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles from Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his similar weapons based in Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by the sense of hope.

The Different Perspective

Still, during those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after these events, with Nina learned about it through the Soviet education system, which presented a slightly different narrative of events.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening day," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly fine or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, it was distinct. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she continues. Subsequently, though, that interpretation would not be shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying America."

An Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced , well produced so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking aspect is the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable for descendants of the leaders of America and Soviet Union would appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.

"We are not the first," notes Nina. "Following 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we connected immediately and now we’re friends, which is really great. Ultimately, after nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages have become allies, so I think the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Parallels and Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason why this series seems so urgent is that we now are living living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn