Following almost destroying our planet, our relatives are friends’: a gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, the planet veered nearer to destruction than at any other point in the contemporary era. This transpired following the discovery that an American surveillance aircraft identified the fact that Russian nuclear weapon sites were under construction on the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime quarantine encircling Cuba. The next phase constituted nearly two weeks of impossible stress.

An Unthinkable Danger

The threat was palpable. If President Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a cascade involving global atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes would have ensued, thrusting humanity into all-out oblivion.

The October crisis has been documented repeatedly, in volumes, movies, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought a completely new element into the story. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the figures who, for two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What were the Russians considering? What was the American side considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic specializing in international affairs.

For her, the unique appeal of the show lies in its attempt to explore: "How can people hate each other and go against each other?"

"It struck me how remarkable the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or can become total adversaries," adds Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to the late president and now an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly in instances where nations have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality involved to fight."

A Precipice of Disaster

What is striking about this event was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, people around the world were able to observe nearly in real time while it edged towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the risk of destruction was more imminent than most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians on the ground would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would've destroyed our naval vessels as well as sunk our primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have retaliated with massive retaliation which would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint while engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements in their governments demanded action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was the sense of optimism.

A Divergent Perspective

Still, during those 13 days in October, the anxiety was palpable globally. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following these events, and Nina learned about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which portrayed an alternative narrative of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a frightening day," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly fine or positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, because it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, and avoided the war, seen as a positive thing," she continues. Later on, however, that perspective would not be shared by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This is, partly, due to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most momentous thing remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the Soviet Union to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is a shame because we connected immediately and now we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after nearly 60 years of almost destroying the world, our lineages are now allies, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes with Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason why this series feels so necessary is that we now are living living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders appear not to be able to comprehend