Following almost destroying our planet, our families have become allies’: a gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, humanity edged closer toward destruction than at any other point during the contemporary era. This happened following the discovery that a US surveillance plane discovered that Soviet atomic weapon installations were under construction on the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the United States. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to impose a naval blockade around Cuba. The next phase was almost two weeks of extreme tension.

The Unthinkable Threat

The threat remained obvious. Should Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a series involving global nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes could have followed, thrusting civilization into all-out ruination.

The October crisis has been examined repeatedly, through books, movies, and television programmes. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents a novel dimension into this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the men who, for 13 days, controlled the destiny of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side thinking? What were the United States planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic of international affairs.

For her, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "How can individuals detest each other to the point they oppose each other?"

"It struck me how profound it is that people can be friends or can become total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now an author and attorney. "History shows this over and over when countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."

A Precipice of Catastrophe

What is notable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, people worldwide were able to observe almost in real time as it crept towards armageddon. Even so, the threat of destruction was more imminent than what most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would have fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would've sunk our aircraft carriers as well as destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in exercise restraint while calmly negotiate at a time when everyone in their governments was pushing for military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by the sense of hope.

A Different Perspective

Still, during those two weeks in October, the tension was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, with Nina learned about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which presented a slightly different version of events.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a scary day," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are always wonderful or positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, and didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful thing," she continues. Subsequently, however, that interpretation was not held by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is so balanced and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, in part, due to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most significant aspect remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the leaders of America and the Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I aren't the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we connected immediately and we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after nearly six decades of almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become allies, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Echoes with Present Perils

Or is it? Part of the reason this series feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to comprehend