‘After nearly annihilating the planet, the relatives are allies’: a gripping podcast featuring John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, humanity edged nearer toward ruin more so than ever during recent history. This transpired when an American reconnaissance aircraft discovered the fact that Russian atomic weapon bases were being built in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from American soil. In response, President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to establish a naval blockade encircling Cuba. What followed constituted nearly 14 days filled with unbearable anxiety.

The Catastrophic Danger

The danger remained palpable. Should President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a series of worldwide atomic attacks and retaliatory strikes would have followed, thrusting mankind toward total oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered endlessly, in volumes, movies, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a completely new element into this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the men that, for 13 days, grasped the fate of the planet in their hands.

"What was the Russians considering? What were the United States thinking?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and a professor of international affairs.

In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "How can people detest one another and oppose each other?"

"It struck me how remarkable the fact that individuals can be friends or else have the potential to be total adversaries," states Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now a writer and lawyer. "We see this dynamic repeatedly in instances where countries enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What’s notable about this event was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, people around the world were able to observe nearly in real time as it crept closer to disaster. Even so, the danger of destruction came closer than most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would have sunk the naval vessels and sunk our primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation that would have ended most life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, they succeeded in keep their heads and calmly negotiate when everyone around them was pushing for military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by the sense of optimism.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, during those 13 days in October, the anxiety was felt globally. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which portrayed a slightly different picture of events.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always fine and sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was distinct. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, as it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided the war, which was a positive thing," she adds. In the years to come, though, that view would not be held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is remarkably balanced , well produced so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR would appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, has to be a symbol of progress.

"We aren't the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we connected really well and now we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, following almost six decades since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages have become friends, so I think global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Echoes and Present Dangers

Or is it? One reason why this series feels so necessary is that we now are living in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to learn