Following nearly annihilating the planet, the families have become allies’: the thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, humanity edged closer to destruction more so than ever during recent history. This happened when an American reconnaissance plane found that Russian nuclear missile installations were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval blockade around Cuba. What followed was nearly two weeks of extreme tension.

An Unthinkable Danger

The peril was obvious. Should Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a chain reaction of global nuclear attacks followed by counterstrikes could have followed, casting humanity into all-out ruination.

The October crisis has been covered repeatedly, in books, movies, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces a novel perspective to the story. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the leaders who, for two tense weeks, grasped the fate of the world in their hands.

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

For her, the strength of the podcast lies in its endeavor to question: "Why do individuals detest each other to the point they confront each other?"

"It was not lost on me how profound the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or else can become total adversaries," states Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What is striking about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired so publicly, people globally could watch almost in real time as it edged closer to disaster. Even so, the danger of destruction came closer than most people realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would have destroyed our aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, who succeeded in remain calm while calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors in their governments were advocating military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew American missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, matched by a feeling of hope.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks in October, the tension was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the USSR's school curriculum, which presented an alternative picture of what happened.

"You said your parent remembers it, describing it as a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware a great deal about it, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always fine and sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided the war, which was a positive thing," she continues. Later on, however, that interpretation was not held by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This is, in part, due to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most momentous thing remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of America and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. That these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of hope.

"We are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is a shame since we connected really well and we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, following almost 60 years since almost destroying the world, our families have become allies, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes with Current Dangers

Or is it? One reason why this series seems so urgent is because we now are living living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp