‘After almost annihilating our planet, the relatives are friends’: a gripping podcast featuring John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, humanity came nearer toward annihilation more so than ever during recent history. This transpired following the discovery that an American surveillance aircraft identified the fact that Soviet nuclear missile installations were being assembled on the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the United States. In response, U.S. President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval quarantine around Cuba. What followed was almost 14 days of unbearable tension.

The Catastrophic Danger

The danger was obvious. Should Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a series of global atomic strikes and retaliatory strikes could have ensued, thrusting humanity toward all-out destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented endlessly, in books, films, as well as TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a completely new perspective to the story. It is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the men that, over two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side considering? What was the American side considering?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic of global relations.

For her, the strength of the podcast lies in its endeavor to explore: "Why do nations hate one another and oppose one another?"

"I am acutely aware how profound the fact that individuals can be friends or can become complete adversaries," states Max Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently an author and attorney. "History shows this over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality involved to fight."

The Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired so publicly, people globally could watch almost in real time as it moved towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the threat of destruction was more imminent than what most people realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would have destroyed our naval vessels as well as destroyed our primary fleet. And, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to remain calm while engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone around them were advocating military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew his missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, matched by a feeling of hope.

A Divergent Perspective

Still, during those two weeks in October, the fear was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after these events, with Nina learned about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which presented an alternative narrative of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, describing it as a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly fine and positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, thus avoided the war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. In the years to come, however, that perspective was not held by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and well produced that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. 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 was inconceivable that relatives of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of optimism.

"We are not the first," notes Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is a shame because we got along really well and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, after nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now allies, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels with Current Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to grasp