Following almost destroying our world, the families are friends’: the gripping podcast featuring John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, the world edged closer toward ruin more so than ever in modern times. This transpired when an American surveillance plane discovered the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon installations were under construction in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. In response, U.S. President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted nearly two weeks of unbearable tension.

An Catastrophic Danger

The threat remained palpable. If President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a series of global atomic strikes and retaliatory strikes would have ensued, casting civilization into all-out ruination.

The October crisis has been documented extensively, in volumes, films, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought a novel element into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the men who, over 13 days, controlled the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin planning? What were the United States considering?" asks Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor specializing in global relations.

In her view, the unique appeal of the show lies in its endeavor to explore: "Why do nations hate one another and go against one another?"

"I am acutely aware how profound the fact that humans can be friends or else can become total enemies," adds Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and now an author and attorney. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where countries have gone to war, demonstrating the profound irrationality involved to fight."

A Precipice of Catastrophe

What’s remarkable about this event is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, people globally could watch almost in real time as it edged towards disaster. Even so, the threat of annihilation came closer than most people understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've obliterated the naval vessels as well as sunk our primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy when many advisors around them were advocating military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed American missiles based in Turkey. The relief was palpable, matched by a feeling of hope.

A Different Perspective

Yet, for those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world in the years following the crisis, with Nina learned about it through the Soviet education system, which painted a slightly different version of events.

"You said your father remembers it, describing it as a scary day," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware a great deal about it, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was always fine and sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was different. "I was informed what a great occasion for the USSR, as it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, seen as a wonderful thing," she continues. Later on, though, that view was not shared by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced and well produced that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant thing is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable for descendants of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate since we connected really well and we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, following almost six decades of nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages have become friends, suggesting the world is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes and Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason why this series seems so urgent is that we now find ourselves in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to be able to comprehend