‘After nearly destroying the planet, the relatives have become allies’: the gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, humanity veered closer to destruction more so than ever during the contemporary era. This happened following the discovery that an American surveillance aircraft identified the fact that Soviet nuclear missile bases were being built in Cuba, a mere 100 miles from American soil. In response, President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to impose a naval blockade around Cuba. What followed was almost two weeks of impossible stress.

An Catastrophic Danger

The danger remained obvious. Should Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a cascade involving global atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes would have ensued, casting civilization toward total oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined endlessly, in volumes, films, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought a novel perspective into the story. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the figures that, for 13 days, grasped the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Soviet side thinking? What was the United States considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also a professor of international affairs.

For her, the strength of the podcast is its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do individuals hate each other and go against each other?"

"I am acutely aware how profound the fact that people have the potential to be friends or have the potential to be complete adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and currently a writer as well as lawyer. "History shows this over and over when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

A Precipice of Disaster

What is striking about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, people globally were able to observe nearly in real time while it moved closer to disaster. However, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than most people understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would have fired a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've destroyed our aircraft carriers as well as destroyed our primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, who succeeded in keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements around them were advocating action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew American missiles based in Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by the sense of optimism.

A Divergent Perspective

Still, for those two weeks in October, the tension was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which painted a slightly different picture of events.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, describing it as a scary day," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system we were told that things are always fine or positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "I was informed what a great occasion for the USSR, because it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, and didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, however, that perspective would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is remarkably even-handed and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most momentous aspect remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of America and USSR would appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "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 Max. "Which is a shame because we connected really well and we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now allies, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Parallels and Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason this series feels so necessary is that we now are living living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to be able to comprehend