‘After nearly annihilating the world, our relatives are allies’: a thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, humanity veered nearer toward destruction than at any other point during the contemporary era. This happened following the discovery that a US surveillance aircraft discovered the fact that Soviet atomic weapon installations were being assembled on Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. In response, President JFK ordered a naval task force to impose a maritime blockade encircling the island. The next phase constituted nearly a fortnight filled with extreme stress.

The Unthinkable Threat

The danger was obvious. Should President Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a series involving global atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes might have ensued, plunging civilization into total destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered endlessly, in volumes, films, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought a completely new perspective to the story. It is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the men who, for two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side thinking? What were the American side planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the unique appeal of the show lies in its attempt to question: "How can individuals hate one another to the point they oppose each other?"

"It struck me how profound the fact that people can be friends or else can become total enemies," states Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and currently a writer and lawyer. "We see this repeatedly in instances where nations have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

A Precipice of Catastrophe

What’s remarkable regarding this event is that, since it transpired so publicly, individuals worldwide were able to observe nearly as it happened as it crept towards disaster. Even so, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than what most people realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike and a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, and that would've sunk the aircraft carriers and sunk America's largest and most important fleet. And, the U.S. would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to keep their heads and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements around them were advocating military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed American missiles based in Turkey. The relief was palpable, matched by the sense of optimism.

The Different Viewpoint

Yet, during those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which painted an alternative version of events.

"You said your parent recalls it, and it was a scary day," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always fine and positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. Later on, however, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is so balanced , expertly crafted that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot the known the ending. This effect is, partly, due to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most momentous thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of America and USSR would appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, has to be a sign of progress.

"We aren't the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, my uncle moved to America and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Max. "Which is unfortunate since we connected really well and we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly six decades of nearly annihilating the world, our families are now friends, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Parallels and Present Perils

Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to grasp