‘After nearly annihilating the world, our relatives are allies’: the thrilling podcast featuring John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, humanity edged nearer to annihilation more so than ever in modern times. This occurred after an American surveillance aircraft identified that Soviet nuclear weapon bases were under construction in Cuba, less than 100 miles from the US mainland. In response, President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a naval blockade around the island. The ensuing period constituted almost a fortnight filled with extreme tension.

The Catastrophic Threat

The peril remained clear. Should Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a series of global atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes might have ensued, thrusting humanity into total destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented extensively, through books, movies, as well as TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents an unprecedented element to the story. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the leaders that, for 13 days, held the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Russians thinking? What were the United States considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also a professor specializing in global relations.

In her view, the unique appeal of the show is its attempt to explore: "How can people detest one another and confront one another?"

"It struck me how profound the fact that individuals have the potential to be friends or have the potential to be complete adversaries," states Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now an author and lawyer. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."

A Precipice Towards Disaster

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens worldwide could watch almost as it happened while it crept towards catastrophe. Even so, the threat of destruction came closer than anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike and a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would have deployed a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would've obliterated the naval vessels and sunk our primary fleet. And, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, they managed to keep their heads while calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors in their governments was pushing for military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was the sense of optimism.

The Different Viewpoint

Yet, during those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different version of events.

"You said your father remembers it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware that much about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was always fine and sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, it was distinct. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus avoided the war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. Subsequently, though, that interpretation would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying America."

A Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably even-handed and well produced so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most significant aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union to appear side by side. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Nina. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate because we connected really well and we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after nearly six decades of almost destroying the world, our lineages have become friends, so I think the world is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Parallels and Current Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of why this series feels so necessary is that we once again are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to grasp