Following almost annihilating our world, the families have become allies’: the thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, humanity came closer to destruction than at any other point in the contemporary era. This transpired when a US reconnaissance aircraft found the fact that Russian nuclear missile installations were being assembled in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK directed a naval task force to enact a naval blockade encircling the island. What followed constituted nearly a fortnight of impossible tension.

An Catastrophic Threat

The danger remained clear. If Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a chain reaction involving worldwide nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes would have followed, thrusting mankind into all-out oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented repeatedly, through volumes, movies, and television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces an unprecedented dimension into the story. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the figures that, for 13 days, grasped the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin thinking? What were Washington considering?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic specializing in global relations.

For her, the unique appeal of the show is its endeavor to question: "How can nations detest one another and confront one another?"

"It struck me how profound the fact that individuals have the potential to be friends or else can become total enemies," adds Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and now an author and lawyer. "History shows this over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What’s striking about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, individuals worldwide were able to observe almost in real time as it crept towards disaster. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction was more imminent than what most people realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and an invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly the Russians stationed there would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, and that would've destroyed our naval vessels as well as sunk our largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have ended all life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors around them was pushing for military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles from Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his missiles from Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was the sense of optimism.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was felt globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following these events, with Nina being taught about the crisis via the USSR's education system, which presented an alternative picture of events.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, describing it as a frightening day," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly fine or positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great moment for the USSR, because it was a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, and didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Later on, however, that perspective was not shared by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced , expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most groundbreaking thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. That these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of hope.

"We are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we connected really well and we are friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly six decades since almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now allies, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Parallels with Present Perils

Or is it? Part of why this series feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to be able to comprehend