‘After nearly destroying the planet, our families have become friends’: the thrilling audio series featuring John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, the planet came nearer to destruction than at any other point in modern times. This happened following the discovery that a US surveillance aircraft identified that Russian atomic missile sites were under construction on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of American soil. In response, President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to enact a maritime blockade around Cuba. The next phase constituted nearly a fortnight of unbearable stress.

The Catastrophic Danger

The danger remained palpable. Should President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a series of worldwide nuclear attacks and counterstrikes might have ensued, thrusting mankind toward all-out destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented repeatedly, in volumes, movies, and television programmes. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new dimension into the story. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the leaders who, for two tense weeks, grasped the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What was the Russians thinking? What were the American side considering?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor of global relations.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can individuals detest each other and confront each other?"

"It struck me how spectacular the fact that people can be friends or have the potential to be complete enemies," remarks Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and now an author and lawyer. "History shows this over and over when countries have gone to war, demonstrating the profound irrationality involved to fight."

The Brink of Catastrophe

What’s notable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded so publicly, people worldwide could watch nearly as it happened while it edged towards armageddon. However, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than what anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians on the ground would have deployed a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, which would've destroyed the aircraft carriers as well as destroyed our primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated with massive retaliation that would have ended most life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, they managed to keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating military action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed American similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was the sense of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Yet, for those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was felt globally. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after these events, with Nina being taught about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always fine and sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start the war, which was a positive thing," she adds. Subsequently, though, that interpretation would not be shared by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America."

An Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , well produced so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most significant aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable for descendants of the leaders of America and the USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, has to be a sign of hope.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate since we connected immediately and now we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, after nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the world, our families have become allies, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes with Current Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is that we now find ourselves living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn