‘After nearly destroying our planet, our families are allies’: a thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, the planet veered nearer to destruction than at any other point during modern times. This occurred when a US surveillance plane found that Russian nuclear weapon bases were under construction on the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles from American soil. In response, President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to enact a maritime blockade encircling the island. The next phase constituted almost a fortnight of unbearable anxiety.

An Catastrophic Threat

The danger was obvious. Should President Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a chain reaction of global atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes would have ensued, plunging humanity into all-out oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered endlessly, through volumes, films, and television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces a novel dimension to the story. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the figures that, for 13 days, grasped the fate of the world in their hands.

"What was the Russians planning? What were Washington considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic of international affairs.

For her, the beauty of the show lies in its attempt to explore: "How can nations hate each other to the point they go against one another?"

"I am acutely aware how profound it is that individuals have the potential to be allies or can become complete adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently a writer as well as lawyer. "We see this dynamic repeatedly in instances where countries have gone to war, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

A Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired so publicly, people worldwide could watch almost as it happened as it crept towards disaster. Even so, the danger of destruction came closer than what anybody realised.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for a military strike and a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, which would have sunk our aircraft carriers and destroyed our primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, who managed to remain calm while calmly negotiate when everyone in their governments demanded military action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew American similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was a feeling of hope.

The Different Perspective

Still, during those 13 days in October, the tension was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which portrayed a slightly different narrative of events.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, describing it as a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly fine and sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it was a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, and didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful thing," she continues. Subsequently, though, that view was not held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed and well produced that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most significant thing is the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of the United States and the USSR to appear side by side. That these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, has to be a symbol of hope.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "Which is a shame since we got along immediately and we’re friends, something that is really great. Finally, following nearly six decades since almost destroying the world, our lineages have become allies, so I think global relations is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels with Current Dangers

Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we now are living living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to be able to learn