Following nearly annihilating our world, the relatives have become allies’: a thrilling audio series featuring JFK & Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, humanity came closer to destruction than at any other point during the contemporary era. This happened after an American reconnaissance plane found that Soviet atomic weapon bases were under construction in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the United States. Reacting to this, President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted nearly two weeks of unbearable stress.

The Unthinkable Threat

The threat remained palpable. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a series involving global atomic attacks and retaliatory strikes could have followed, casting humanity into total ruination.

The October crisis has been documented endlessly, in books, films, as well as TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces a completely new perspective into the story. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the leaders who, for two tense weeks, held the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Russians considering? What were Washington thinking?" asks Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor of international affairs.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast is its attempt to question: "Why do people detest each other to the point they go against one another?"

"It was not lost on me how profound it is that individuals can be friends or have the potential to be total adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and now a writer as well as attorney. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, highlighting the sheer folly it is to fight."

A Precipice of Catastrophe

What is striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, people around the world were able to observe almost in real time while it crept closer to catastrophe. However, the risk of annihilation came closer than what most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike and an invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would have fired a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, which would have sunk the naval vessels and destroyed America's largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads and calmly negotiate when everyone in their governments were advocating action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed American similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was a feeling of hope.

The Different Perspective

Yet, for those two weeks in October, the fear was felt globally. The Bomb’s presenters were born in the years following the crisis, and Khrushcheva learned about it via the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative narrative of events.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a scary day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was constantly fine or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided a global war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. Subsequently, however, that view was not shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying America."

An Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most momentous aspect remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of America and USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.

"We aren't the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Max. "That is unfortunate since we connected immediately and now we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years of nearly annihilating the world, our families have become allies, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes and Current Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend