‘After almost destroying the planet, our relatives have become allies’: the gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the world came nearer to ruin than at any other point in modern times. This occurred following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane found the fact that Soviet nuclear missile bases were being built on the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the United States. In response, President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to establish a maritime blockade around Cuba. The next phase was nearly 14 days filled with extreme anxiety.

The Unthinkable Danger

The danger was obvious. If President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a series involving worldwide atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes would have ensued, plunging civilization toward all-out ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined endlessly, through books, movies, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought a novel dimension to this historical narrative. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the men who, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Russians planning? What were the American side planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also a professor of international affairs.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its endeavor to explore: "Why do people hate each other to the point they oppose each other?"

"It struck me how profound it is that individuals have the potential to be friends or can become total enemies," states Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now a writer and attorney. "We see this over and over when countries have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality it is to fight."

A Precipice of Catastrophe

What is remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens around the world could watch nearly in real time while it moved towards armageddon. Even so, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans using the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would have deployed a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would've sunk the aircraft carriers as well as destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, who succeeded in remain calm and engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors in their governments was pushing for military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew American similar weapons based in Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was the sense of optimism.

The Different Perspective

Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was palpable globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following these events, with Nina being taught about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which presented a slightly different picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know a great deal about it, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly wonderful or positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, because it was a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, and avoided a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. Later on, however, that view would not be held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably balanced and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget the known outcome. This is, in part, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union to appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers prior to this project," adds Max. "Which is unfortunate since we connected immediately and now we’re friends, something that is really great. Finally, following almost six decades of nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now friends, so I think global relations is safer, a little bit."

Modern Parallels and Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn