‘After nearly destroying our planet, the families have become allies’: a gripping podcast from JFK & Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, humanity veered closer to ruin than at any other point in the contemporary era. This occurred after an American reconnaissance plane identified that Russian atomic missile bases were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime blockade encircling the island. What followed was nearly two weeks of unbearable anxiety.

An Unthinkable Danger

The threat was clear. If President Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a chain reaction involving global nuclear strikes and counterstrikes would have ensued, thrusting humanity into all-out ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered endlessly, in books, movies, and television programmes. But, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents an unprecedented dimension to the story. The series is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the leaders who, over 13 days, held the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What were the Russians planning? What was the United States thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic of international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the show is its attempt to objectively ask: "How can people hate one another and oppose one another?"

"It was not lost on me how spectacular the fact that people can be allies or can become complete adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare."

A Brink Towards Disaster

What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens worldwide could watch nearly as it happened as it crept towards armageddon. However, the danger of destruction came closer than what anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted a military strike and an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would have sunk the naval vessels as well as sunk our primary fleet. And, we would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, who managed to exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements in their governments demanded action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his missiles from Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Different Perspective

Still, during those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world shortly after these events, with Nina being taught about it through the USSR's education system, which presented a slightly different version of events.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was constantly fine and sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed what a great moment for the USSR, because it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, which was a positive outcome," she continues. Later on, though, that interpretation was not held by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, truly, the most groundbreaking thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that descendants of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of hope.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame since we connected immediately and now we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, following almost six decades since nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become allies, suggesting the world is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason this series seems so urgent is because we now are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to comprehend