Following nearly destroying the planet, the relatives are allies’: a thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, humanity edged nearer toward annihilation more so than ever in the contemporary era. This transpired when a US reconnaissance aircraft found the fact that Soviet nuclear missile bases were being assembled on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of American soil. In response, President JFK commanded a naval task force to establish a maritime quarantine around the island. The next phase was almost 14 days filled with unbearable tension.

The Catastrophic Danger

The threat was palpable. If Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a cascade involving worldwide atomic attacks and retaliatory strikes might have ensued, plunging humanity toward all-out ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered repeatedly, through books, movies, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents an unprecedented perspective to the story. It is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the men who, for two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side planning? What were the United States thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor of global relations.

In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast is its attempt to question: "How can people detest one another and oppose one another?"

"It was not lost on me how profound the fact that people can be friends or else can become total enemies," states Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and now an author as well as lawyer. "We see this over and over when nations enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

A Precipice of Catastrophe

What is remarkable about this event was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals globally were able to observe nearly as it happened while it edged towards disaster. Nonetheless, the risk of destruction was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for an airstrike followed by an invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would've sunk the naval vessels as well as destroyed our largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation which would have ended most life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when everyone around them demanded action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his missiles from Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was a feeling of hope.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, for those two weeks in October, the fear was palpable globally. The podcast's presenters were born shortly after the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about it via the Soviet education system, which portrayed a slightly different narrative of what happened.

"You said your father recalls it, describing it as a frightening day," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly wonderful and sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. In the years to come, though, that view would not be held by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced and expertly crafted that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, in part, thanks to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most significant thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a sign of progress.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Nina. "After 1991, a relative moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "That is a shame because we got along immediately and now we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, after almost 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become friends, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend