‘After nearly destroying the world, our families are allies’: a gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the planet veered nearer to annihilation than at any other point during recent history. This occurred when a US surveillance aircraft identified that Russian nuclear weapon installations were being built in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade encircling the island. The ensuing period was almost 14 days of unbearable anxiety.

An Catastrophic Threat

The danger was palpable. Should Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a series involving worldwide atomic attacks and counterstrikes would have followed, thrusting civilization toward all-out oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented extensively, through books, films, and TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces a novel dimension into the story. It is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the men who, over two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Soviet side planning? What were Washington considering?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and an academic specializing in international affairs.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its endeavor to explore: "How can nations hate one another and confront one another?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that individuals have the potential to be allies or else can become complete enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to the late president and now a writer and lawyer. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to fight."

A Brink of Disaster

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it unfolded so publicly, individuals around the world were able to observe nearly as it happened as it edged towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the risk of destruction came closer than most people realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the naval blockade, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would've fired a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, which would've sunk the naval vessels and destroyed our largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation which would have ended most life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in remain calm and engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements in their governments demanded action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew American similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Yet, during those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the USSR's school curriculum, which presented a slightly different version of events.

"You said your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal about it, since it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are always fine and positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, and avoided the war, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. Subsequently, however, that view was not shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is remarkably balanced and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking thing remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the leaders of America and the Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a sign of optimism.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we connected immediately and now we’re friends, which is really great. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years of nearly annihilating the world, our families are now allies, so I think the world is safer, somewhat."

Modern Echoes and Current Dangers

Or is it? One reason why this series seems so urgent is that we now find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen appear not to be able to grasp