Following almost annihilating our world, our families are friends’: a thrilling audio series from JFK & Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, humanity came closer to annihilation more so than ever during recent history. This transpired following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane discovered the fact that Soviet atomic missile installations were being assembled on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. In response, President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to impose a naval blockade around the island. What followed was almost a fortnight of unbearable tension.

The Catastrophic Danger

The danger remained palpable. Should President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear strikes and counterstrikes might have followed, thrusting mankind toward total oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered extensively, in volumes, films, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents an unprecedented dimension into this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the figures that, over 13 days, held the fate of humanity in their hands.

"What were the Russians planning? What were the United States thinking?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also an academic of international affairs.

For her, the strength of the podcast lies in its attempt to question: "Why do people detest one another and oppose each other?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that people have the potential to be friends or else can become total enemies," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and currently an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice of Catastrophe

What is remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded so publicly, people around the world could watch almost in real time as it moved towards disaster. Even so, the threat of annihilation came closer than anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for an airstrike followed by an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, it is certain Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, which would have destroyed the aircraft carriers as well as destroyed America's primary naval force. In turn, we would have responded through massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, who succeeded in exercise restraint while calmly negotiate when many advisors around them was pushing for action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was the sense of optimism.

A Different Viewpoint

Yet, during those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after these events, with Nina learned about it via the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative narrative of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a scary day," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was constantly wonderful or positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, it was distinct. "They told me what a great moment it was, because it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start the war, seen as a wonderful thing," she continues. In the years to come, however, that view was not held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is so even-handed , expertly crafted that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of historians. But, really, the most significant aspect remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for descendants of the leaders of America and USSR to appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of progress.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate since we got along immediately and now we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, after almost six decades of nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages are now friends, so I think the world is safer, somewhat."

Modern Echoes and Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn