Following almost destroying our world, the relatives are friends’: the thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, humanity edged closer toward ruin more so than ever during recent history. This transpired after a US surveillance plane identified that Russian atomic weapon installations were under construction in the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK directed a naval task force to impose a maritime blockade around Cuba. What followed constituted nearly two weeks of impossible anxiety.

An Catastrophic Danger

The peril was obvious. Should President Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a series involving worldwide nuclear attacks followed by counterstrikes might have ensued, plunging civilization into total oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented extensively, through volumes, films, and television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces an unprecedented perspective into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the leaders that, over 13 days, grasped the fate of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin thinking? What was Washington thinking?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic of international affairs.

In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "How can nations detest one another to the point they confront one another?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that humans can be allies or can become complete enemies," states Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently an author and attorney. "We see this repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

The Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is striking about the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded so publicly, people worldwide could watch nearly as it happened as it edged towards disaster. Even so, the threat of annihilation came closer than most people realised.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would have launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, which would have destroyed our naval vessels and destroyed our primary naval force. And, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, who managed to remain calm while calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating military action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the missiles from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his missiles from Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of hope.

The Divergent Perspective

Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which painted an alternative narrative of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening day," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly fine or positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, and didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. In the years to come, though, that perspective would not be held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so even-handed and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This is, in part, due to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most momentous aspect remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR would appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"Max and I aren't the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Max. "Which is a shame because we connected really well and we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, after almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the world, our families are now allies, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes and Present Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason why this series seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to comprehend