Following almost annihilating our planet, the relatives are allies’: a gripping podcast featuring John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, humanity edged closer toward annihilation more so than ever during modern times. This occurred when an American surveillance plane identified the fact that Soviet atomic missile bases were being built in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the United States. In response, President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime blockade encircling Cuba. What followed was almost 14 days filled with extreme anxiety.

The Unthinkable Danger

The threat remained obvious. Should President Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a cascade of worldwide atomic attacks and counterstrikes would have followed, thrusting mankind into all-out destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented extensively, through volumes, films, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented perspective into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the leaders that, over two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What was the Soviet side planning? What were the American side considering?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also a professor of international affairs.

In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do people hate one another to the point they go against one another?"

"It struck me how spectacular the fact that people can be allies or can become total adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and now an author and lawyer. "We see this over and over in instances where nations enter into conflict, highlighting the sheer folly it is to fight."

The Brink of Disaster

What is notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired so publicly, people globally were able to observe nearly in real time as it moved towards armageddon. However, the danger of destruction was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for an airstrike and an invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly the Russians stationed there would have launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, which would have destroyed the aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's primary naval force. And, we would have responded with massive retaliation that would have ended 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 were advocating military action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew American similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was a feeling of hope.

The Different Perspective

Yet, for those 13 days in October, the tension was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world in the years following these events, and Nina being taught about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different picture of events.

"You said your parent recalls it, describing it as a scary time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly fine or sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, it was distinct. "I was informed what a great moment it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Later on, though, that perspective was not shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying America."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced , well produced that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. But, truly, the most groundbreaking thing remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union to appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of hope.

"We aren't the first," smiles Nina. "After 1991, a relative moved to America where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Max. "That is a shame because we connected really well and we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, following nearly six decades of almost destroying the world, our lineages are now allies, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes with Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to comprehend