Following nearly destroying the world, the families have become friends’: a gripping podcast featuring JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, humanity veered nearer toward ruin more so than ever in modern times. This transpired following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft found the fact that Soviet atomic missile installations were under construction on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. In response, U.S. President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime blockade around the island. The ensuing period was almost a fortnight of extreme stress.

The Catastrophic Threat

The threat was obvious. Should President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a cascade involving worldwide nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes could have ensued, plunging civilization into all-out ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered repeatedly, through books, films, and television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a completely new dimension to the story. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the figures who, over two tense weeks, held the fate of the world in their hands.

"What was the Soviet side planning? What was Washington thinking?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in global relations.

For her, the beauty of the podcast is its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do individuals hate each other and go against each other?"

"It was not lost on me how spectacular it is that humans have the potential to be allies or can become total adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently a writer and lawyer. "We see this dynamic over and over when countries enter into conflict, highlighting the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."

The Precipice of Disaster

What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded so publicly, individuals worldwide could watch nearly in real time while it moved closer to disaster. Even so, the threat of destruction was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike and an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would have fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would have sunk the aircraft carriers and sunk our primary fleet. In turn, we would have responded with massive retaliation that would have ended all life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, they succeeded in remain calm and calmly negotiate when many advisors around them demanded action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the missiles from Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of hope.

The Different Perspective

Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was palpable globally. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following these events, and Nina learned about it through the Soviet education system, which presented an alternative version of events.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a scary day," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are always wonderful and sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful thing," she continues. In the years to come, though, that perspective would not be shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is so balanced , well produced that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, truly, the most groundbreaking thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable for descendants of the heads of state of America and the USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"We are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we connected really well and we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after nearly six decades of nearly annihilating the world, our families have become allies, so I think the world is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes with Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of why this series feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since world leaders don’t seem to be able to grasp