Following nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become friends’: the thrilling audio series from JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, humanity came closer toward destruction than at any other point in recent history. This occurred after an American reconnaissance aircraft discovered that Russian nuclear missile bases were under construction on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime quarantine encircling Cuba. The next phase was almost two weeks of extreme anxiety.

The Catastrophic Danger

The threat was palpable. Should Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on their enemy, a chain reaction of global atomic attacks and retaliatory strikes would have followed, thrusting humanity toward all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been covered endlessly, in volumes, films, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented dimension to the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the leaders that, over 13 days, held the destiny of humanity within their grasp.

"What was the Soviet side planning? What were Washington considering?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the strength of the show lies in its attempt to explore: "How can individuals hate one another and confront each other?"

"I am acutely aware how profound the fact that individuals have the potential to be friends or else can become complete enemies," adds Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and now an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly in instances where nations enter into conflict, highlighting the sheer folly involved to fight."

The Precipice of Disaster

What is notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired so publicly, people worldwide could watch nearly as it happened as it moved towards disaster. However, the threat of annihilation came closer than most people realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have obliterated our naval vessels as well as destroyed our primary naval force. In turn, we would have responded through massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to exercise restraint while engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors around them was pushing for military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew his missiles from Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by the sense of optimism.

The Divergent Perspective

Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable globally. The podcast's co-hosts were born in the years following these events, with Nina learned about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which painted a slightly different narrative of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that things are always wonderful or sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, it was different. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, and avoided a global war, seen as a positive thing," she adds. Later on, however, that view would not be held by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot the known the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. But, truly, the most momentous aspect remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a sign of hope.

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

"But we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "That is a shame since we connected immediately and we’re friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our families are now allies, so I think global relations is safer, a little bit."

Modern Parallels with Current Perils

Or is it? One reason why this series seems so urgent is that we now are living living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to comprehend