Following almost destroying the planet, the relatives have become friends’: the gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the planet came closer to destruction than at any other point during recent history. This transpired after a US reconnaissance aircraft found the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon sites were under construction in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the United States. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime quarantine around the island. What followed constituted almost 14 days of unbearable stress.

The Catastrophic Danger

The peril was obvious. Should Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a series of worldwide atomic attacks and retaliatory strikes might have followed, casting humanity into all-out ruination.

The October crisis has been covered endlessly, in books, films, as well as television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented element to the story. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the figures who, over 13 days, grasped the fate of the planet within their grasp.

"What was the Russians thinking? What were the United States considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic specializing in global relations.

For her, the strength of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "Why do individuals detest each other to the point they go against each other?"

"It struck me how profound it is that individuals have the potential to be allies or can become complete adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and now a writer and attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare."

A Brink of Catastrophe

What is notable about this event is that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, people globally could watch almost as it happened as it edged towards catastrophe. However, the threat of destruction was more imminent than what anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba with the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians stationed there would have launched a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, which would've destroyed the naval vessels as well as sunk America's largest and most important fleet. And, the U.S. would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy when many advisors in their governments was pushing for action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Still, for those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, with Nina being taught about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which portrayed an alternative narrative of events.

"You said your parent remembers it, describing it as a scary day," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are always wonderful and positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, as it was a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, thus avoided the war, which was a positive thing," she adds. Subsequently, however, that interpretation was not shared by everybody. "For decades 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 so balanced and well produced that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most significant aspect remains the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable for descendants of the leaders of America and 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 symbol of progress.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we connected immediately and now we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, after almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now allies, so I think global relations is safer, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Current Perils

Or is it? Part of why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to learn