‘After nearly annihilating the planet, the relatives are allies’: the gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, humanity came nearer toward destruction more so than ever during modern times. This happened after an American reconnaissance plane discovered that Soviet nuclear missile installations were under construction in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. In response, President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval quarantine around the island. The ensuing period constituted nearly 14 days filled with unbearable stress.

The Catastrophic Danger

The danger was obvious. Should Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a series of global nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes might have ensued, plunging humanity into all-out oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered endlessly, in books, films, and television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces a novel perspective into this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the men that, for 13 days, grasped the fate of the world in their hands.

"What was the Kremlin thinking? What was Washington thinking?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor of international affairs.

For her, the beauty of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "How can nations hate each other and confront each other?"

"I am acutely aware how remarkable it is that humans have the potential to be friends or can become total enemies," remarks Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and now an author as well as attorney. "History shows this over and over in instances where countries enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

A Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is striking about this event was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, people worldwide were able to observe nearly in real time as it crept closer to catastrophe. However, the danger of destruction came closer than anybody understood at the time.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by an invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have obliterated the naval vessels and destroyed our largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in keep their heads while calmly negotiate when many advisors in their governments were advocating military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following these events, and Nina being taught about it via the USSR's school curriculum, which painted an alternative picture of events.

"You said your father recalls it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know that much about it, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always fine or positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, it was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, as it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. Later on, though, that interpretation would not be held by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up America."

An Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced , expertly crafted that Nina jokes it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, in part, thanks to contributions from historians. Yet, really, the most significant thing is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of America and USSR would appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a symbol of hope.

"We are not the first," smiles Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "That is unfortunate because we got along really well and we’re friends, which is wonderful. Finally, following nearly six decades of nearly annihilating the world, our lineages have become allies, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we now find ourselves in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp