Following almost destroying our world, our families have become allies’: a thrilling audio series from JFK and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the planet came closer toward destruction than at any other point during the contemporary era. This happened after a US reconnaissance aircraft identified that Soviet atomic missile bases were under construction in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime blockade encircling Cuba. The next phase was almost a fortnight filled with unbearable stress.

An Unthinkable Danger

The peril remained palpable. If Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on their enemy, a chain reaction of worldwide atomic strikes and retaliatory strikes would have ensued, thrusting mankind toward total oblivion.

The October crisis has been covered extensively, through books, movies, as well as TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents a novel element into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the leaders who, for 13 days, held the fate of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin considering? What were the American side thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor of international affairs.

In her view, the unique appeal of the show is its attempt to explore: "How can nations detest one another to the point they go against one another?"

"It was not lost on me how profound it is that humans have the potential to be friends or have the potential to be total adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and now an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to fight."

A Brink of Catastrophe

What’s striking about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, people around the world could watch nearly in real time as it crept towards disaster. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction came closer than most people understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for an airstrike and a ground invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians on the ground would have launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, and that would have destroyed the naval vessels as well as sunk our primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended all life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, who managed to remain calm and engaging in diplomacy when many advisors around them was pushing for military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was a feeling of hope.

The Different Perspective

Yet, during those two weeks in October, the anxiety was palpable globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different picture of events.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly fine and sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, as it was a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, and didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she continues. Later on, however, that perspective was not shared by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying America."

An Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking thing remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable for relatives of the leaders of America and the Soviet Union to appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a sign of progress.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we connected really well and now we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, after almost 60 years since almost destroying the world, our families are now allies, so I think the world is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels and Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason why this series feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since world leaders appear not to be able to grasp