Following almost destroying our planet, our relatives have become friends’: the gripping audio series featuring JFK and Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the world veered nearer toward ruin than at any other point during the contemporary era. This transpired after an American reconnaissance aircraft discovered that Russian nuclear weapon installations were being built on the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval quarantine encircling the island. The next phase constituted nearly a fortnight of extreme anxiety.

An Catastrophic Threat

The peril was clear. Should President Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a series involving worldwide nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes could have followed, thrusting humanity into total destruction.

The October crisis has been documented endlessly, in books, movies, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new dimension to this historical narrative. It is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the men who, for 13 days, controlled the destiny of humanity within their grasp.

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

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

"It was not lost on me how profound it is that people can be allies or can become complete enemies," remarks Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and now a writer and attorney. "We see this repeatedly in instances where countries have gone to war, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid it is to engage in warfare."

The Brink Towards Disaster

What’s remarkable about this event was that, since it transpired so publicly, individuals globally could watch almost in real time as it crept closer to armageddon. However, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than most people understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, which would have destroyed the aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated with massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, they managed to keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements in their governments demanded action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Different Viewpoint

Yet, for those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was palpable by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, with Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which portrayed an alternative version of what happened.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware that much about it, since it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system we were told that things are constantly fine and positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. Subsequently, however, that interpretation was not shared by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so balanced and expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, truly, the most momentous aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that descendants 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 exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "After 1991, my uncle moved to America where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "That is unfortunate since we connected immediately and we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our families have become friends, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes and Current Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to grasp