Following almost destroying the planet, the relatives have become allies’: a gripping podcast featuring JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the planet came nearer to destruction more so than ever during recent history. This occurred when a US reconnaissance aircraft identified the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon bases were being assembled on the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. In response, President JFK commanded a naval task force to establish a naval quarantine encircling the island. The next phase was nearly 14 days of extreme anxiety.

The Catastrophic Threat

The threat remained clear. Should Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a series of worldwide nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes would have followed, casting humanity toward all-out ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered repeatedly, through books, films, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a novel dimension into the story. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the leaders who, for two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of humanity within their grasp.

"What was the Kremlin thinking? What were the American side considering?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor of international affairs.

For her, the strength of the show is its endeavor to explore: "How can people hate one another to the point they oppose one another?"

"It struck me how profound it is that individuals have the potential to be friends or can become total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently an author and attorney. "We see this dynamic over and over when countries have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

A Brink Towards Disaster

What’s notable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals worldwide were able to observe nearly as it happened while it crept towards catastrophe. However, the danger of destruction came closer than what most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would've obliterated our aircraft carriers and sunk our primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended all life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, they succeeded in keep their heads while calmly negotiate when everyone in their governments was pushing for action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the missiles in the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, matched by the sense of hope.

A Divergent Perspective

Still, for those two weeks in October, the fear was palpable globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, and Nina being taught about it through the Soviet education system, which presented a slightly different version of what happened.

"You said your father remembers it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly wonderful or sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided the war, which was a positive thing," she adds. Later on, though, that interpretation would not be held by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying America."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced , expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, in part, due to the participation of historians. But, really, the most significant aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a sign of progress.

"We are not the first," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "Which is a shame because we connected really well and now we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, after almost 60 years since almost destroying the world, our families are now friends, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend