‘After nearly annihilating our world, the families have become friends’: a gripping podcast from JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the world veered closer toward annihilation than at any other point during the contemporary era. This occurred following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane identified the fact that Russian atomic missile bases were being built on Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to impose a naval blockade around Cuba. What followed constituted almost two weeks filled with extreme stress.

The Catastrophic Threat

The danger remained obvious. If Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a cascade involving global atomic strikes and retaliatory strikes would have followed, casting humanity into total destruction.

The October crisis has been examined endlessly, through books, movies, and television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought an unprecedented element into this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the men who, over two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side considering? What was the United States considering?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also an academic of global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the show lies in its attempt to explore: "How can people hate one another to the point they oppose each other?"

"It struck me how remarkable the fact that individuals have the potential to be friends or have the potential to be complete enemies," adds Max Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently a writer and lawyer. "History shows this over and over in instances where nations enter into conflict, demonstrating the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare."

A Brink of Disaster

What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded so publicly, individuals around the world were able to observe almost as it happened while it moved towards disaster. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation came closer than anybody understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House wanted a military strike and an invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba with the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would've deployed a nuclear warhead against the American ships, and that would have obliterated the aircraft carriers and sunk our primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have ended most life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to exercise restraint while calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments demanded action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was the sense of optimism.

The Divergent Perspective

Yet, for those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following these events, with Nina being taught about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which presented a slightly different narrative of events.

"You said your father remembers it, and it was a frightening day," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that things are always fine or positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided a global war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. Subsequently, though, that interpretation would not be held by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying America."

An Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is so even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, in part, due to contributions from historians. But, really, the most momentous aspect is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable for descendants of the leaders of America and Soviet Union to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"We are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative moved to America and formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met before the podcast," adds Max. "Which is unfortunate because we connected really well and now we are friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after almost six decades of almost destroying the planet, our families are now friends, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to comprehend