Following almost annihilating our world, our relatives are friends’: the gripping audio series from JFK & Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, humanity came closer toward destruction than at any other point during modern times. This transpired after an American surveillance plane discovered the fact that Russian nuclear weapon bases were being assembled in Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to enact a maritime quarantine encircling Cuba. The next phase was nearly a fortnight of impossible anxiety.

An Catastrophic Threat

The threat remained palpable. Should Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a chain reaction of global atomic attacks and counterstrikes could have followed, thrusting civilization toward all-out ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented endlessly, in books, films, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a novel perspective to this historical narrative. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the figures who, for two tense weeks, held the fate of humanity in their hands.

"What was the Soviet side thinking? What were the American side considering?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor specializing in global relations.

For her, the strength of the podcast lies in its endeavor to question: "Why do individuals hate one another to the point they confront one another?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular the fact that individuals can be friends or else have the potential to be complete enemies," remarks Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now a writer as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic over and over in instances where nations enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly it is to fight."

The Brink of Disaster

What’s striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it unfolded so publicly, people worldwide could watch nearly in real time while it edged closer to catastrophe. Even so, the danger of annihilation came closer than what anybody understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've obliterated the aircraft carriers and destroyed our primary naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated with massive retaliation which would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, they succeeded in keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy when everyone around them was pushing for military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Yet, during those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was palpable globally. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world in the years following these events, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which painted a slightly different picture of events.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, describing it as a scary day," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was constantly wonderful and positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed what a great moment it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Later on, however, that view was not held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and well produced that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, truly, the most momentous thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of America and USSR to appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, has to be a symbol of progress.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we got along immediately and now we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following almost six decades of almost destroying the world, our lineages are now friends, suggesting global relations is safer, somewhat."

Modern Parallels with Current Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of why this series seems so urgent is because we now are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to comprehend