‘After nearly destroying our planet, our families are allies’: a gripping podcast featuring JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, humanity veered closer to destruction more so than ever in the contemporary era. This transpired when a US surveillance plane discovered that Russian nuclear missile bases were under construction in the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from American soil. In response, U.S. President JFK ordered a naval task force to establish a maritime blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted almost two weeks of extreme stress.

An Unthinkable Danger

The danger remained obvious. Should Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on their enemy, a chain reaction of global nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes would have ensued, casting civilization toward total oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered repeatedly, in books, movies, and television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces a novel dimension into this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the leaders that, over two tense weeks, held the fate of the world in their hands.

"What was the Kremlin considering? What were the United States considering?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and a professor of global relations.

In her view, the unique appeal of the show is its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do people hate one another to the point they go against each other?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that individuals have the potential to be allies or else have the potential to be complete adversaries," states Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to JFK and now an author as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic over and over when nations enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly it is to fight."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What is notable about this event was that, since it unfolded so publicly, individuals around the world were able to observe almost in real time while it moved towards disaster. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation came closer than what anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans with the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would have sunk our naval vessels as well as destroyed America's primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have ended most life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, who succeeded in keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors around them were advocating military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was the sense of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Yet, during those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was palpable globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after these events, with Khrushcheva learned about it through the Soviet education system, which painted an alternative narrative of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, describing it as a scary time," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always fine or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, it was different. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, as it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. Subsequently, however, that interpretation was not held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most groundbreaking thing remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable for relatives of the leaders of the United States and the USSR to appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "After 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate since we got along really well and now we are friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, following almost six decades of nearly annihilating the world, our families have become allies, so I think the world is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Echoes and Present Perils

Or is it? One reason why The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to be able to grasp