Following nearly destroying the world, the relatives have become allies’: the gripping audio series featuring JFK and Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, the world veered nearer to annihilation more so than ever in the contemporary era. This happened following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane discovered that Russian nuclear missile sites were being assembled in Cuba, a mere 100 miles from American soil. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to impose a naval blockade encircling Cuba. The next phase was nearly 14 days of impossible anxiety.

The Unthinkable Threat

The threat was clear. Should President Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a cascade of global nuclear attacks followed by retaliatory strikes would have followed, casting humanity toward total destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented endlessly, in volumes, movies, and TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought a novel element into this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the men that, for two tense weeks, grasped the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin thinking? What was the American side planning?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and a professor of international affairs.

In her view, the unique appeal of the show is its endeavor to explore: "How can nations hate each other to the point they confront each other?"

"I am acutely aware how profound it is that humans have the potential to be allies or can become complete adversaries," adds Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently a writer as well as lawyer. "We see this repeatedly when nations have gone to war, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

A Brink Towards Disaster

What’s remarkable regarding this event was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens globally could watch almost in real time as it moved closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike and an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces on the ground would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've destroyed our aircraft carriers and destroyed America's primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint while calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the missiles in Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American similar weapons based in Turkey. The relief was immense, as was a feeling of hope.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, and Nina learned about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different narrative of events.

"You said your father recalls it, and it was a scary time," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware a great deal about it, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are constantly wonderful and sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided the war, which was a positive thing," she adds. Later on, though, that perspective was not held by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced , well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, partly, due to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most groundbreaking aspect remains the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and the USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle 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. "Which is unfortunate because we connected really well and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after nearly six decades of almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now friends, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Present Perils

Or is it? Part of the reason this series feels so necessary is because we now are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to learn