Following almost annihilating our planet, the families are friends’: the thrilling podcast featuring John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, the world veered closer toward destruction more so than ever during recent history. This occurred following the discovery that a US reconnaissance plane identified the fact that Russian atomic weapon installations were being assembled in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the United States. In response, President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to establish a naval quarantine around the island. The ensuing period was almost a fortnight filled with impossible tension.

An Catastrophic Threat

The peril remained clear. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a cascade of global atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes might have ensued, casting civilization toward all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented endlessly, through volumes, movies, and television programmes. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces a novel perspective into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the leaders who, over 13 days, controlled the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What was the Russians planning? What were the United States considering?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor of global relations.

For her, the beauty of the podcast lies in its attempt to explore: "Why do nations detest one another and confront each other?"

"It struck me how spectacular it is that individuals can be friends or can become complete adversaries," states Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and currently an author and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic over and over when countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

The Brink of Catastrophe

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired so publicly, people worldwide were able to observe almost in real time while it moved towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than what anybody realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by an invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would've launched a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would have obliterated the aircraft carriers and sunk our primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, they managed to keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy when many advisors in their governments were advocating action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of optimism.

The Different Viewpoint

Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world in the years following these events, and Nina learned about the crisis via the Soviet education system, which presented an alternative narrative of what happened.

"You said your father remembers it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly wonderful and positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. In the years to come, though, that interpretation would not be held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is remarkably balanced , well produced that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, truly, the most significant aspect is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"Max and I aren't the first," notes Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we connected really well and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, after almost 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become friends, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Dangers

Or is it? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp