Following nearly annihilating the world, the relatives are allies’: a gripping podcast from JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the world veered nearer toward destruction than at any other point during modern times. This occurred when an American reconnaissance plane found that Soviet atomic weapon bases were being built on Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the United States. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to enact a maritime quarantine around Cuba. The next phase constituted almost two weeks of impossible stress.

The Catastrophic Threat

The threat was palpable. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a chain reaction of worldwide atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes could have followed, casting civilization into total destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered extensively, through volumes, films, and television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents an unprecedented dimension into this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the men that, for 13 days, held the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What were the Soviet side thinking? What was the United States considering?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and an academic specializing in global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast lies in its endeavor to explore: "Why do people hate each other to the point they confront one another?"

"I am acutely aware how profound it is that individuals can be allies or have the potential to be total enemies," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now a writer as well as attorney. "We see this over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, demonstrating the profound irrationality it is to fight."

A Brink Towards Disaster

What is remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired so publicly, people around the world could watch almost as it happened while it moved towards disaster. However, the risk of destruction came closer than anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike and a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would have fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would have sunk our naval vessels as well as sunk our largest and most important naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended most life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, they succeeded in remain calm while calmly negotiate when everyone in their governments demanded action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in Cuba and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, matched by a feeling of optimism.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Still, for those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was palpable globally. The podcast's co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, with Nina learned about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which portrayed a slightly different picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was constantly fine or positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful thing," she continues. In the years to come, however, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying America."

A Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is so balanced and expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips it almost made her forget the known outcome. This is, in part, due to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most significant aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a sign of progress.

"Max and I aren't the first," notes Nina. "Following 1991, a relative moved to America where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate since we connected immediately and we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years since almost destroying the world, our lineages have become allies, so I think the world is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Echoes with Present Dangers

Or is it? Part of the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to comprehend