Following nearly destroying the planet, our relatives are allies’: a thrilling audio series featuring JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the planet edged nearer toward ruin than at any other point during the contemporary era. This transpired after an American reconnaissance aircraft discovered that Soviet atomic weapon bases were being assembled in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime quarantine encircling the island. The next phase was nearly a fortnight filled with extreme tension.

An Catastrophic Threat

The threat was palpable. Should President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a series of global atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes would have ensued, casting humanity into all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been examined extensively, in books, films, as well as TV documentaries. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces a completely new dimension to this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the men that, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Soviet side thinking? What was the United States planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also a professor of global relations.

In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its endeavor to explore: "How can nations detest each other and confront one another?"

"It struck me how profound the fact that people have the potential to be friends or else can become total adversaries," adds Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and currently a writer and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic over and over when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality involved to fight."

A Brink of Disaster

What is remarkable regarding this event was that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens globally were able to observe almost in real time while it crept towards catastrophe. Nonetheless, the threat of destruction was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would have obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as sunk our primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in exercise restraint while engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements in their governments demanded military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by a feeling of hope.

A Different Viewpoint

Still, for those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was palpable globally. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following the crisis, with Nina being taught about the crisis via the USSR's education system, which painted an alternative narrative of events.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware a great deal about it, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are always fine or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and avoided the war, seen as a positive outcome," she continues. In the years to come, however, that perspective was not shared 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."

An Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is so balanced and expertly crafted that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, partly, due to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most significant aspect remains the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable that descendants 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 be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"We are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is a shame since we got along really well and now we are friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after nearly 60 years of nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now allies, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes and Current Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason this series feels so necessary is that we now find ourselves in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to comprehend