Following almost annihilating the world, the families are allies’: the gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the world came nearer toward annihilation more so than ever during recent history. This happened after an American reconnaissance aircraft discovered the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon bases were under construction on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from American soil. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to establish a naval blockade around the island. The next phase was almost a fortnight filled with impossible tension.

The Unthinkable Threat

The peril remained clear. If President Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a chain reaction of worldwide atomic attacks followed by retaliatory strikes might have followed, casting humanity toward all-out oblivion.

The October crisis has been documented endlessly, in books, films, and television programmes. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented element into the story. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the leaders who, over 13 days, grasped the fate of the world in their hands.

"What were the Russians thinking? What was Washington planning?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor of global relations.

For her, the beauty of the show lies in its attempt to question: "How can individuals hate one another and oppose each other?"

"It was not lost on me how profound it is that humans have the potential to be allies or can become complete adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and currently an author as well as lawyer. "We see this dynamic repeatedly in instances where nations have gone to war, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

A Precipice Towards Disaster

What is striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, people worldwide could watch almost in real time while it moved closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the threat of destruction was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, and that would have destroyed our naval vessels and sunk America's primary naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy when everyone in their governments demanded military action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was the sense of optimism.

A Different Viewpoint

Still, for those 13 days in October, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born shortly after the crisis, with Nina learned about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which presented an alternative picture of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, and it was a scary day," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know that much about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly wonderful or positive."

Within 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, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. Later on, however, that interpretation was not held by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is so balanced and well produced that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most momentous thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union to appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a sign of progress.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we connected really well and we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, following almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes with Current Perils

Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we now are living living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to be able to comprehend