‘After nearly destroying our planet, the families have become friends’: a gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the planet veered closer toward destruction than at any other point in recent history. This happened following the discovery that a US reconnaissance plane found that Soviet atomic weapon bases were under construction in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from American soil. In response, President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. What followed constituted nearly two weeks of extreme stress.

The Unthinkable Threat

The threat was clear. Should Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a chain reaction involving global nuclear attacks followed by retaliatory strikes could have followed, thrusting humanity toward all-out oblivion.

The October crisis has been covered repeatedly, through volumes, films, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents a novel element into the story. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the leaders that, over 13 days, grasped the fate of humanity in their hands.

"What was the Kremlin considering? What was Washington considering?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in global relations.

For her, the beauty of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "Why do people hate each other to the point they confront one another?"

"It struck me how remarkable the fact that humans can be allies or else have the potential to be complete enemies," remarks Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and currently a writer as well as lawyer. "History shows this over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, demonstrating the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."

The Brink of Catastrophe

What is striking about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired so publicly, citizens around the world were able to observe nearly as it happened while it moved closer to armageddon. However, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba with the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would've sunk the naval vessels as well as sunk our primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation which would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, who managed to exercise restraint while calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors around them was pushing for military action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was the sense of hope.

A Different Viewpoint

Yet, for those two weeks in October, the fear was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after the crisis, with Nina learned about the crisis via the USSR's education system, which portrayed a slightly different narrative of what happened.

"You said your father recalls it, describing it as a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know a great deal about it, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly wonderful and positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, because it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. In the years to come, though, that view was not shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced and well produced so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. But, really, the most momentous aspect remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.

"We aren't the pioneers," smiles Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Max. "That is unfortunate because we got along immediately and we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels and Current Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn