Following almost annihilating our planet, our families have become friends’: the gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, the planet veered nearer to destruction than at any other point during the contemporary era. This transpired after an American surveillance plane identified the fact that Soviet nuclear missile sites were under construction in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. In response, President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to enact a naval quarantine encircling the island. The ensuing period was almost 14 days filled with impossible stress.

An Catastrophic Danger

The threat remained palpable. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a chain reaction of global nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes would have followed, casting mankind into total ruination.

The October crisis has been covered extensively, in books, movies, and television programmes. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces a novel dimension to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the figures that, over 13 days, grasped the destiny of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side planning? What was the American side planning?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also a professor of international affairs.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do people detest one another to the point they oppose one another?"

"It was not lost on me how spectacular it is that people have the potential to be allies or else have the potential to be complete adversaries," states Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and now a writer and attorney. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly in instances where countries enter into conflict, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, people worldwide were able to observe nearly as it happened as it crept towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the danger of annihilation came closer than what anybody understood at the time.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans with the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would've destroyed our aircraft carriers and destroyed our largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, who succeeded in remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements around them was pushing for action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism.

A Divergent Perspective

Still, during those two weeks in October, the fear was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva learned about the crisis via the USSR's education system, which painted a slightly different version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, describing it as a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly fine or positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "I was informed what a great occasion for the USSR, as it was a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, and didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, however, that interpretation would not be held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is so balanced and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot the known outcome. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant aspect remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of hope.

"We are not the first," notes Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate because we got along really well and we are friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, following almost 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our families are now friends, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Parallels and Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason why The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to be able to grasp