Following almost annihilating the world, the families have become allies’: the thrilling podcast featuring John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, humanity veered closer to annihilation than at any other point in the contemporary era. This occurred when a US reconnaissance plane discovered that Soviet atomic weapon sites were under construction on the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK commanded a naval task force to impose a maritime quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period was nearly 14 days of unbearable tension.

The Unthinkable Threat

The threat was clear. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a series of global nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes could have followed, casting civilization into total ruination.

The October crisis has been documented extensively, in volumes, films, as well as TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought an unprecedented dimension into the story. The series is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the men who, for 13 days, held the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin thinking? What was Washington planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and an academic specializing in international affairs.

For her, the strength of the podcast lies in its endeavor to explore: "Why do individuals detest one another and go against one another?"

"I am acutely aware how remarkable the fact that humans can be allies or else have the potential to be total adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

The Brink of Disaster

What’s striking about this event is that, because it transpired so publicly, people globally could watch almost as it happened as it edged towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than most people realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike and a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've obliterated the aircraft carriers and destroyed our primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated with massive retaliation which would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, they managed to remain calm and engaging in diplomacy when everyone in their governments were advocating action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his missiles based in Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was the sense of hope.

The Different Perspective

Still, during those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following these events, with Nina being taught about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, describing it as a scary time," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know a great deal about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly wonderful or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "I was informed what a great moment for the USSR, because it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a positive thing," she adds. Subsequently, however, that view would not be held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a setback for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is so balanced and well produced that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most significant thing is the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and USSR would appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a sign of hope.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame because we got along immediately and now we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, following nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages are now allies, so I think global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Echoes with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we now are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to comprehend