Following nearly destroying the planet, the families are friends’: a gripping podcast from JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, humanity edged nearer to destruction more so than ever during the contemporary era. This happened after a US reconnaissance plane identified that Russian nuclear missile sites were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from the US mainland. In response, President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to establish a naval blockade encircling the island. What followed was almost a fortnight filled with extreme stress.

The Unthinkable Threat

The peril remained clear. If Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a cascade involving worldwide atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes would have ensued, plunging civilization into total ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, through books, movies, as well as television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought a novel dimension into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the leaders who, for two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin planning? What were Washington planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor specializing in global relations.

For her, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "How can people detest each other to the point they confront each other?"

"I am acutely aware how profound it is that individuals have the potential to be allies or can become total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and now an author and lawyer. "We see this dynamic repeatedly in instances where countries have gone to war, demonstrating the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice of Disaster

What is notable about this event is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens globally were able to observe almost as it happened as it crept closer to disaster. Even so, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by an invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba using the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians on the ground would have deployed a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, which would've destroyed our naval vessels as well as destroyed America's primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated with massive retaliation which would have ended most life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to exercise restraint and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments demanded action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his similar weapons based in Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was the sense of hope.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after these events, with Khrushcheva learned about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly fine or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion it was, as it was a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, and avoided the war, which was a wonderful thing," she continues. Later on, though, that interpretation was not shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is remarkably balanced , expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking thing is the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union would appear together publicly. That these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"Max and I aren't the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "That is unfortunate because we connected immediately and now we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become friends, so I think global relations is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels and Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we once again find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp