‘After nearly destroying the planet, our relatives are allies’: a gripping audio series featuring JFK and Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, humanity edged nearer to destruction more so than ever in recent history. This happened after an American surveillance aircraft discovered the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon bases were under construction on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from the United States. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted nearly 14 days of extreme tension.

An Unthinkable Danger

The threat remained palpable. Should President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a cascade involving worldwide atomic strikes and counterstrikes would have ensued, thrusting civilization into all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been examined endlessly, through volumes, movies, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces a completely new dimension into the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the figures who, over two tense weeks, grasped the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What was the Russians considering? What was Washington considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic of global relations.

In her view, the strength of the show is its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do individuals detest one another and oppose one another?"

"It was not lost on me how profound the fact that individuals can be allies or else can become total enemies," states Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now a writer as well as lawyer. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when countries have gone to war, demonstrating the profound irrationality it is to fight."

A Precipice of Disaster

What is striking about this event was that, because it unfolded so publicly, people worldwide were able to observe almost in real time as it edged closer to catastrophe. Nonetheless, the risk of destruction came closer than most people realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted a military strike and an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would've sunk our aircraft carriers as well as destroyed America's largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, who managed to remain calm while engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors in their governments was pushing for action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed American similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of optimism.

A Different Viewpoint

Yet, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva learned about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are constantly fine or positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, it was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Subsequently, though, that view would not be held by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying America."

An Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , well produced that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. But, really, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of America and the USSR would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a sign of optimism.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," smiles Nina. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we got along really well and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly six decades since almost destroying the world, our families have become allies, so I think the world is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Parallels with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is that we now find ourselves in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to comprehend