‘After nearly destroying the planet, the relatives are friends’: a gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the world veered nearer to destruction than at any other point in modern times. This occurred after an American reconnaissance aircraft found that Soviet atomic weapon bases were being assembled in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from American soil. In response, President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to enact a maritime quarantine encircling the island. The ensuing period was nearly a fortnight filled with extreme tension.

The Unthinkable Threat

The peril was obvious. Should Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a series of global nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes could have ensued, thrusting mankind into all-out oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented repeatedly, through books, movies, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented perspective into the story. The series is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the figures that, for two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of humanity in their hands.

"What was the Kremlin considering? What was the American side planning?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also an academic of global relations.

In her view, the strength of the podcast lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "How can nations hate one another to the point they oppose one another?"

"It struck me how profound it is that humans can be friends or have the potential to be total enemies," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now a writer as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality involved to fight."

A Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What’s notable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, people globally could watch almost in real time while it crept towards disaster. However, the threat of destruction came closer than what anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would've deployed a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would have obliterated our naval vessels as well as sunk our largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to remain calm while engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements around them were advocating military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his similar weapons based in Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by a feeling of hope.

A Divergent Perspective

Still, for those 13 days in October, the tension was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after these events, with Khrushcheva learned about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative version of events.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was constantly fine or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and avoided a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. Later on, however, that interpretation would not be held by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a setback for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is remarkably even-handed , well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most momentous aspect is the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the leaders of America and the USSR would appear side by side. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of hope.

"We aren't the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "That is a shame because we connected really well and we’re friends, something that is really great. Finally, after nearly six decades since almost destroying the world, our families have become friends, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes with Present Perils

Or is it? Part of why this series feels so necessary is that we once again are living living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to comprehend