‘After nearly annihilating the planet, our relatives are allies’: the thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, the world came nearer to ruin than at any other point during the contemporary era. This happened following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft discovered that Soviet atomic weapon installations were being built in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval quarantine encircling the island. The ensuing period constituted nearly two weeks of impossible anxiety.

An Unthinkable Danger

The danger was palpable. If President Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a series of worldwide atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes could have followed, casting civilization toward total destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined extensively, through books, films, as well as TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented dimension into the story. The series is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the leaders who, for 13 days, controlled the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Soviet side planning? What were the American side thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in international affairs.

For her, the beauty of the show lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do individuals detest each other and confront each other?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that humans can be friends or can become complete adversaries," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and currently an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where nations have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality involved to fight."

The Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What is notable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded so publicly, citizens globally were able to observe almost as it happened as it crept closer to catastrophe. Even so, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than most people realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike and a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would have launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, which would have sunk our naval vessels as well as destroyed America's primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended most life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors around them were advocating military action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew American similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was the sense of optimism.

A Different Perspective

Yet, during those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following these events, with Khrushcheva learned about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative narrative of events.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always fine or positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, as it was a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, and avoided a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she continues. Subsequently, though, that view would not be held by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up America."

An Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced and expertly crafted that Nina jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This effect is, in part, thanks to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most significant aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a sign of progress.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "That is unfortunate because we got along immediately and now we’re friends, something that is really great. Finally, following nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages are now friends, so I think global relations is safer, somewhat."

Modern Parallels with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we now find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen appear not to be able to learn