‘After almost annihilating our world, our relatives have become allies’: a gripping podcast from JFK and Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, the planet edged nearer toward destruction than at any other point during modern times. This transpired when an American surveillance plane found the fact that Soviet atomic weapon installations were being built on the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the US mainland. In response, President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval quarantine encircling the island. The next phase constituted almost a fortnight of extreme stress.

An Catastrophic Danger

The threat was obvious. Should Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a cascade involving worldwide atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes might have followed, plunging humanity toward all-out oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered extensively, in volumes, movies, as well as TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces an unprecedented perspective to this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the leaders that, over 13 days, controlled the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Soviet side thinking? What was Washington planning?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also an academic specializing in global relations.

For her, the unique appeal of the show lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can individuals detest each other to the point they confront one another?"

"It was not lost on me how spectacular it is that humans have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be complete enemies," adds Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently an author and attorney. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice of Catastrophe

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, individuals worldwide were able to observe nearly in real time while it moved closer to armageddon. However, the risk of destruction was more imminent than what anybody realised.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would have sunk our naval vessels as well as destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. And, we would have responded through massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, who managed to remain calm and engaging in diplomacy when everyone in their governments was pushing for action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his missiles from Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was the sense of optimism.

The Divergent Perspective

Yet, during those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after these events, and Nina being taught about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which painted an alternative picture of what happened.

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

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus avoided the war, seen as a wonderful thing," she continues. Subsequently, however, that view was not shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most significant aspect remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and USSR to appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of progress.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "After 1991, my uncle moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate because we connected immediately and we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, following almost six decades since nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now allies, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit."

Modern Echoes with Current Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn