‘After nearly annihilating our world, our relatives have become allies’: the gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, humanity veered nearer to ruin more so than ever during recent history. This happened when an American reconnaissance plane found that Russian nuclear missile sites were under construction in the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. In response, U.S. President JFK commanded a naval task force to enact a maritime quarantine around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted almost a fortnight of unbearable anxiety.

The Catastrophic Danger

The peril remained palpable. Should Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a series of worldwide atomic strikes and retaliatory strikes might have followed, casting mankind into total oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered endlessly, through volumes, movies, as well as television programmes. However, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents an unprecedented perspective to this historical narrative. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the figures who, over two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Russians planning? What was the United States planning?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor of global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the show is its endeavor to explore: "How can people detest one another and confront each other?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that people can be friends or else have the potential to be complete adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and currently a writer and lawyer. "We see this repeatedly when countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to fight."

A Brink Towards Disaster

What is remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, people worldwide were able to observe almost in real time as it moved towards disaster. Even so, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than most people realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians on the ground would've launched a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, which would have destroyed our naval vessels as well as sunk our largest and most important naval force. And, we would have responded with massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads while calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by the sense of hope.

The Divergent Perspective

Yet, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following these events, and Nina being taught about it via the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative version of what happened.

"You said your father remembers it, and it was a scary day," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know a great deal about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always wonderful and sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, it was distinct. "They told me what a great moment it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start the war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, however, that interpretation would not be shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying America."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot the known outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most groundbreaking thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of the United States and the USSR would appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"We are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we got along really well and we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our families have become friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels and Present Dangers

Or is it? One reason why The Bomb feels so necessary is that we now are living in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to comprehend