‘After nearly annihilating the world, our families are friends’: the thrilling audio series featuring John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, the world came closer toward ruin more so than ever during the contemporary era. This occurred when a US surveillance aircraft identified that Soviet nuclear weapon bases were being built in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade encircling the island. What followed constituted nearly a fortnight of extreme tension.

The Catastrophic Threat

The peril remained clear. Should Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes could have ensued, casting mankind toward all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered extensively, through books, movies, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new dimension into the story. The series is co-presented by Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the men who, over two tense weeks, held the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What was the Soviet side considering? What were Washington planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and an academic of global relations.

For her, the beauty of the show is its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do individuals detest one another to the point they go against one another?"

"I am acutely aware how remarkable it is that individuals can be friends or else can become complete adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and now an author as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly in instances where nations have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to engage in warfare."

A Precipice of Disaster

What is notable regarding this event was that, since it unfolded so publicly, individuals worldwide could watch nearly in real time as it moved towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, and that would've obliterated our aircraft carriers and sunk our largest and most important fleet. And, the U.S. would have retaliated with massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in remain calm while calmly negotiate when everyone in their governments demanded action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his missiles based in Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by a feeling of optimism.

A Divergent Perspective

Yet, for those 13 days in October, the anxiety was felt globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world shortly after these events, with Nina learned about it via the USSR's education system, which portrayed an alternative picture of events.

"You said your father remembers it, describing it as a scary day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that things are always wonderful or positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment it was, as it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, and avoided the war, seen as a wonderful thing," she adds. Later on, however, that interpretation would not be held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

An Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably balanced and expertly crafted that Nina jokes it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most groundbreaking thing remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of America and the Soviet Union to appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of progress.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we got along really well and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly six decades of nearly annihilating the world, our families are now friends, so I think global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels and Present Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason why this series feels so necessary is because we now are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to learn