‘After nearly annihilating the planet, the families are friends’: a thrilling podcast from JFK & Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, the world came nearer toward destruction than at any other point in the contemporary era. This occurred after a US surveillance aircraft found the fact that Russian atomic weapon bases were under construction in the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to impose a maritime quarantine around the island. What followed was almost a fortnight of impossible tension.

The Catastrophic Danger

The danger remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a series of worldwide nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes would have ensued, casting humanity toward all-out ruination.

The October crisis has been examined endlessly, through books, films, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces a novel dimension to the story. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the men that, for 13 days, grasped the destiny of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side planning? What was Washington considering?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and an academic specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the show is its endeavor to explore: "Why do nations detest each other and confront one another?"

"I am acutely aware how remarkable it is that people have the potential to be allies or else can become complete enemies," states Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and now a writer and attorney. "History shows this repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, highlighting how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

The Brink of Disaster

What is notable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired so publicly, people around the world were able to observe nearly in real time while it moved closer to armageddon. However, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than what anybody realised.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would have destroyed the naval vessels and sunk America's largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, who succeeded in remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors in their governments was pushing for action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Divergent Perspective

Still, for those two weeks in October, the tension was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, and Nina learned about the crisis via the USSR's education system, which portrayed an alternative version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, describing it as a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always wonderful or positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, it was distinct. "They told me what a great moment it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start the war, which was a positive outcome," she continues. In the years to come, however, that perspective would not be held by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and well produced that Nina quips it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, in part, due to contributions from historians. Yet, really, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable for relatives of the leaders of America and Soviet Union would appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"We aren't the first," notes Nina. "Following 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," adds Max. "That is unfortunate since we got along really well and we are friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, after almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages are now friends, suggesting the world is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason why The Bomb feels so necessary is because we now find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend