Following almost destroying the world, the families are allies’: a gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, humanity veered nearer toward destruction more so than ever in modern times. This occurred after an American reconnaissance aircraft identified that Russian atomic weapon sites were under construction in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the US mainland. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime quarantine around Cuba. What followed was nearly two weeks filled with unbearable anxiety.

An Catastrophic Danger

The danger was clear. Should Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a cascade of global nuclear attacks followed by counterstrikes might have followed, plunging civilization toward total oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered repeatedly, in books, movies, as well as TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought a completely new element to the story. It is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the figures who, for 13 days, grasped the fate of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side planning? What was the American side thinking?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor of global relations.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do individuals detest one another to the point they confront each other?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that humans can be friends or else can become complete adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic over and over when nations enter into conflict, demonstrating the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."

A Precipice of Disaster

What’s striking about this event was that, because it unfolded so publicly, individuals around the world could watch almost as it happened while it edged towards disaster. Even so, the risk of destruction came closer than what anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba with the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians on the ground would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would have obliterated our naval vessels as well as destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, who managed to remain calm while engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors around them were advocating action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism.

A Divergent Perspective

Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world in the years following the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which presented a slightly different picture of what happened.

"You said your father remembers it, and it was a scary time," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware a great deal about it, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always fine and sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it was a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, thus avoided the war, seen as a positive thing," she continues. Subsequently, however, that perspective would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced , well produced that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. Yet, really, the most significant aspect remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for relatives of the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a sign of progress.

"We aren't the first," notes Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, my uncle moved to America where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met before the podcast," adds Max. "That is a shame because we got along immediately and now we are friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after almost six decades of nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become friends, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels and Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of why The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend