‘After almost annihilating the planet, the relatives have become friends’: the gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the world veered closer to annihilation more so than ever in recent history. This transpired following the discovery that an American surveillance aircraft found that Russian nuclear missile sites were under construction on Cuba, less than 100 miles from the United States. Reacting to this, President JFK commanded a naval task force to establish a maritime blockade around the island. The ensuing period was nearly a fortnight filled with impossible tension.

The Catastrophic Danger

The threat remained clear. Should Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a chain reaction of global atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes might have ensued, plunging humanity into all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been examined endlessly, in books, films, as well as TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new dimension to this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the figures that, for two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Russians planning? What was the United States thinking?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also an academic of international affairs.

For her, the beauty of the show lies in its attempt to explore: "How can individuals detest each other to the point they go against one another?"

"It struck me how profound the fact that people have the potential to be friends or can become total enemies," states Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and currently a writer and lawyer. "History shows this repeatedly when nations have gone to war, demonstrating the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What is remarkable regarding this event is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, individuals globally were able to observe nearly in real time while it crept closer to disaster. However, the risk of destruction came closer than anybody realised.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for an airstrike and an invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would've launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, and that would have destroyed our aircraft carriers and sunk America's largest and most important naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, who managed to exercise restraint while engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements around them was pushing for military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed American similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was the sense of optimism.

A Divergent Perspective

Still, for those 13 days in October, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, with Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which painted an alternative narrative of events.

"You said your father remembers it, describing it as a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was always wonderful or positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and avoided the war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. Later on, however, that view would not be shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, truly, the most significant thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of the United States and the Soviet Union to appear side by side. That these two individuals can do that, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of hope.

"Max and I aren't the first," notes Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is a shame because we connected immediately and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after almost six decades of almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become friends, so I think the world is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Echoes and Current Dangers

Or is it? One reason why this series feels so necessary is that we now find ourselves living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to learn