Following almost destroying the planet, the families are allies’: the gripping podcast featuring JFK & Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the world veered closer toward ruin more so than ever in modern times. This transpired after an American surveillance aircraft found that Russian atomic weapon installations were being assembled on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from the US mainland. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted almost 14 days filled with unbearable anxiety.

An Unthinkable Danger

The peril remained clear. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a series of worldwide nuclear strikes and counterstrikes would have ensued, casting civilization into all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been covered repeatedly, in volumes, movies, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents a completely new dimension to the story. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the leaders who, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin thinking? What were Washington considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor of global relations.

For her, the unique appeal of the show is its attempt to question: "How can nations detest each other to the point they go against one another?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or can become complete adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and currently a writer as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic over and over in instances where nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

The Brink Towards Catastrophe

What’s remarkable regarding this event is that, because it unfolded so publicly, individuals around the world were able to observe nearly as it happened as it edged towards disaster. Nonetheless, the risk of destruction was more imminent than what anybody realised.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've sunk the aircraft carriers and sunk America's primary fleet. In turn, we would have responded with massive retaliation which would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to exercise restraint while calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew American missiles from Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Different Perspective

Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after these events, and Nina learned about it via the Soviet education system, which painted an alternative version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a scary day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know that much about it, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always wonderful or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. In the years to come, though, 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 didn’t blow up America."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is so even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This effect is, partly, due to contributions from historians. But, really, the most significant thing is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm with each other, 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 Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame since we got along really well and now we’re friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years of nearly annihilating the world, our families have become allies, so I think the world is safer, somewhat."

Modern Echoes with Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason why this series seems so urgent is that we now find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to learn