‘After almost destroying the world, our relatives are friends’: the gripping audio series featuring JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, humanity came nearer to annihilation more so than ever during the contemporary era. This happened when a US reconnaissance plane found the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon installations were under construction in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. The next phase was nearly 14 days filled with unbearable stress.

An Catastrophic Threat

The threat was obvious. If Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a cascade involving global atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes could have ensued, plunging civilization into total oblivion.

The October crisis has been examined extensively, in volumes, movies, and television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents a completely new element to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the figures who, for two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the planet within their grasp.

"What was the Russians planning? What was Washington thinking?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also an academic specializing in global relations.

In her view, the strength of the podcast lies in its endeavor to question: "Why do individuals hate each other and oppose one another?"

"It struck me how remarkable the fact that individuals have the potential to be allies or else can become total enemies," states Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently a writer and attorney. "We see this over and over when countries enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare."

A Precipice Towards Disaster

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it transpired so publicly, citizens around the world were able to observe nearly in real time while it moved towards armageddon. Even so, the risk of destruction came closer than what anybody realised.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted an airstrike and an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would have fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would've sunk our naval vessels as well as sunk our primary naval force. And, we would have retaliated with massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, they succeeded in remain calm while calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors in their governments was pushing for military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by a feeling of optimism.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable globally. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva learned about the crisis via the Soviet education system, which presented a slightly different picture of events.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that things are constantly fine and sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, and avoided a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. Later on, however, that view would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed , expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, in part, due to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most momentous aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and USSR would appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a sign of progress.

"Max and I are not the first," notes Nina. "Following 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we got along immediately and we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, after nearly 60 years of nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now allies, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes with Present Dangers

Or is it? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again are living living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to comprehend