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

During October 1962, the world edged nearer to ruin than at any other point during recent history. This happened following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane identified that Russian atomic weapon installations were being assembled in Cuba, less than 100 miles from the US mainland. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to establish a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period constituted nearly two weeks of unbearable stress.

An Catastrophic Threat

The danger remained obvious. Should Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a cascade of worldwide atomic attacks and retaliatory strikes might have ensued, casting civilization toward all-out oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented endlessly, in books, films, as well as television programmes. But, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces an unprecedented dimension into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the figures who, over 13 days, held the fate of the planet in their hands.

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

For her, the strength of the show lies in its endeavor to explore: "Why do people hate each other and go against one another?"

"It was not lost on me how profound the fact that people can be friends or else can become complete adversaries," states Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and now a writer as well as attorney. "History shows this repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, demonstrating the profound irrationality it is to fight."

The Brink of Disaster

What’s striking about this event is that, because it transpired so publicly, people around the world could watch nearly in real time as it edged closer to catastrophe. Even so, the danger of annihilation came closer than anybody realised.

"Almost all officials in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've sunk our aircraft carriers as well as destroyed our primary naval force. And, we would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, they succeeded in exercise restraint and calmly negotiate when many advisors in their governments were advocating action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his missiles from Turkey. The relief was immense, as was a feeling of hope.

The Different Perspective

Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world in the years following these events, with Khrushcheva learned about it through the USSR's education system, which painted a slightly different picture of events.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that things are always fine or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was different. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, as it was a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, which was a positive thing," she adds. Subsequently, however, that interpretation was not held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is so even-handed , well produced that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the Soviet Union to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a sign of progress.

"We aren't the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "That is a shame since we got along really well and we are friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels and Current Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend