‘After almost destroying our planet, our relatives are friends’: the thrilling podcast featuring JFK and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, humanity veered nearer to annihilation more so than ever in the contemporary era. This transpired following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft identified the fact that Russian nuclear missile bases were being built on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President JFK directed a naval task force to impose a naval blockade around the island. The next phase was almost 14 days filled with extreme anxiety.

The Catastrophic Threat

The danger remained palpable. Should President Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a series of worldwide atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes could have followed, thrusting civilization into total ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented extensively, through volumes, films, and television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces a novel perspective to the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the leaders who, for two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of humanity in their hands.

"What were the Russians planning? What were Washington planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and a professor of global relations.

In her view, the unique appeal of the show lies in its attempt to explore: "Why do nations hate each other to the point they confront one another?"

"It struck me how spectacular the fact that individuals have the potential to be allies or can become total enemies," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now a writer as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly in instances where nations have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."

A Brink of Catastrophe

What is remarkable about this event is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens around the world were able to observe nearly as it happened while it moved towards catastrophe. Even so, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than what most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for a military strike followed by an invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've destroyed our naval vessels as well as destroyed our largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors around them demanded action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the missiles from Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was the sense of hope.

A Divergent Perspective

Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following these events, with Nina learned about it through the USSR's education system, which presented a slightly different picture of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union we were told that things are always wonderful or positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, it was distinct. "I was informed what a great moment for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and didn’t start the war, which was a positive thing," she continues. Later on, though, that view was not shared by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably balanced , well produced that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I are not the first," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met before the podcast," adds Max. "Which is a shame because we connected immediately and we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages have become friends, so I think global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels and Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is that we now are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to comprehend