‘After almost annihilating the planet, the families are allies’: a thrilling podcast featuring JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the planet came nearer to annihilation than at any other point in the contemporary era. This happened when a US reconnaissance aircraft discovered that Soviet nuclear weapon sites were under construction in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval quarantine around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted nearly a fortnight of impossible tension.

An Catastrophic Threat

The danger was obvious. Should Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a chain reaction involving worldwide atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes would have followed, casting mankind toward total oblivion.

The October crisis has been covered extensively, through volumes, movies, as well as TV documentaries. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces an unprecedented perspective to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the leaders who, for two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What was the Soviet side thinking? What were the United States planning?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor specializing in global relations.

For her, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt to question: "How can nations hate each other to the point they confront each other?"

"It struck me how remarkable it is that individuals can be friends or else can become total adversaries," states Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently a writer as well as attorney. "We see this repeatedly in instances where countries have gone to war, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid it is to engage in warfare."

The Brink of Catastrophe

What is remarkable about this event was that, since it transpired so publicly, individuals worldwide could watch nearly in real time as it crept closer to disaster. Nonetheless, the risk of destruction was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've destroyed the naval vessels and destroyed America's primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, who managed to remain calm while engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors around them demanded action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Divergent Perspective

Still, during those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva learned about it via the USSR's education system, which presented a slightly different narrative of events.

"You said your father remembers it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware that much about it, since it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was constantly fine or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and didn’t start a global war, which was a positive outcome," she continues. Subsequently, though, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced and expertly crafted that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, in part, thanks to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most significant thing is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable that descendants of the leaders of the United States and the USSR would appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I are not the first," notes Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, my uncle moved to America and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame since we connected immediately and we are friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our families are now allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Parallels with Present Dangers

Or is it? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to learn