Following almost destroying our world, the relatives have become allies’: the thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, humanity edged nearer to annihilation more so than ever in the contemporary era. This happened after a US surveillance plane found that Russian atomic weapon sites were under construction in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime blockade encircling Cuba. The next phase was almost a fortnight of impossible stress.

The Catastrophic Threat

The danger remained obvious. Should Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a series involving worldwide atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes might have followed, casting civilization toward all-out destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered extensively, through volumes, films, as well as TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces a completely new perspective to the story. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the figures that, over 13 days, grasped the fate of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin planning? What were Washington planning?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also an academic specializing in international affairs.

For her, the strength of the podcast lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do nations hate one another to the point they oppose each other?"

"It struck me how remarkable it is that individuals have the potential to be allies or can become total adversaries," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now an author and lawyer. "History shows this over and over when nations have gone to war, demonstrating the profound irrationality it is to fight."

The Brink Towards Catastrophe

What’s striking about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it unfolded so publicly, citizens globally were able to observe almost as it happened as it edged towards catastrophe. Even so, the danger of destruction was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Almost all officials in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would have obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as destroyed our primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in remain calm and engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone around them demanded military action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American missiles based in Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of optimism.

The Different Viewpoint

Still, for those 13 days in October, the fear was palpable globally. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following the crisis, with Nina being taught about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different narrative of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was constantly wonderful and sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided the war, which was a positive thing," she continues. Later on, though, that view was not shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most significant thing remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the leaders of America and the Soviet Union to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I aren't the first," smiles Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we connected really well and now we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following nearly six decades of nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become allies, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes with Present Dangers

Or is it? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again are living living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend