‘After almost annihilating the world, our relatives have become allies’: a thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the planet came closer toward annihilation more so than ever during modern times. This transpired when a US surveillance plane found the fact that Soviet nuclear missile sites were under construction on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the United States. In response, U.S. President JFK directed a naval task force to enact a naval blockade encircling the island. What followed was nearly 14 days filled with unbearable anxiety.

An Unthinkable Danger

The threat was palpable. If President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a cascade involving worldwide atomic attacks and retaliatory strikes could have ensued, plunging mankind into all-out ruination.

The October crisis has been documented repeatedly, in books, movies, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a completely new dimension to this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the figures that, for two tense weeks, held the fate of humanity within their grasp.

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

In her view, the unique appeal of the show is its endeavor to explore: "Why do people 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 total enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and currently a writer as well as lawyer. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the sheer folly involved to fight."

The Precipice of Catastrophe

What is remarkable regarding this event is that, because it transpired so publicly, citizens worldwide were able to observe almost as it happened as it crept closer to disaster. Nonetheless, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would have deployed a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've destroyed the naval vessels and sunk our primary fleet. In turn, we would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, they succeeded in exercise restraint and calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors in their governments demanded military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles in the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American similar weapons based in Turkey. The relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, for those 13 days in October, the tension was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world shortly after these events, and Nina being taught about it through the USSR's education system, which portrayed an alternative picture of what happened.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know that much about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always fine or positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, it was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided the war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, though, that interpretation was not held by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying America."

An Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. But, really, the most momentous thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of America and the USSR would appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals 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," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame because we got along immediately and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now friends, so I think global relations is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Dangers

Or is it? One reason the reason this series feels so necessary is that we once again are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to learn