Following almost annihilating the world, the families have become friends’: a gripping audio series from JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, humanity veered nearer toward ruin than at any other point during recent history. This transpired when a US surveillance plane found the fact that Russian atomic weapon bases were being assembled in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from American soil. In response, U.S. President JFK directed a naval task force to enact a naval blockade around the island. What followed was nearly 14 days filled with extreme stress.

An Catastrophic Threat

The threat was obvious. Should Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a cascade of global atomic strikes and counterstrikes could have followed, casting humanity into all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been documented repeatedly, through books, films, as well as television programmes. But, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought an unprecedented dimension to this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the figures that, over two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Soviet side considering? What were Washington planning?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic of international affairs.

For her, the strength of the show is its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do people hate one another and oppose one another?"

"I am acutely aware how remarkable it is that people have the potential to be allies or can become total enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and currently a writer and attorney. "We see this over and over when nations enter into conflict, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What is notable regarding this event was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, individuals around the world could watch nearly as it happened while it edged closer to disaster. However, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than most people realised.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have sunk our aircraft carriers as well as destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. And, we would have responded with massive retaliation that would have ended most life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, they managed to keep their heads while calmly negotiate when many advisors in their governments was pushing for military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed his missiles from Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of hope.

A Different Perspective

Yet, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which painted an alternative version of events.

"You said your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always wonderful and sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was different. "They told me what a great occasion it was, because it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, seen as a positive thing," she adds. Subsequently, however, that view was not shared by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced , well produced that Nina jokes it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, partly, due to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of America and the USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a sign of progress.

"We aren't the pioneers," smiles Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Max. "That is unfortunate because we connected immediately and we’re friends, which is really great. Ultimately, after nearly six decades of nearly annihilating the world, our families are now friends, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes with Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp