Following nearly annihilating the planet, our relatives are allies’: the gripping podcast from JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, the world veered nearer toward annihilation more so than ever in modern times. This occurred when an American reconnaissance plane identified the fact that Russian atomic weapon installations were under construction on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted almost 14 days filled with extreme stress.

The Catastrophic Threat

The peril was palpable. If Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a series of global nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes would have ensued, casting civilization into all-out ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered endlessly, through volumes, films, and TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought an unprecedented perspective to this historical narrative. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the figures who, over 13 days, held the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Soviet side planning? What were the American side considering?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor specializing in global relations.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its attempt to question: "Why do nations hate each other to the point they oppose each other?"

"It struck me how remarkable it is that individuals have the potential to be friends or can become complete adversaries," remarks Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now an author as well as attorney. "History shows this over and over when countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

A Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is notable regarding this event is that, because it unfolded so publicly, people worldwide could watch almost as it happened while it crept towards disaster. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for a military strike and a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have destroyed our aircraft carriers and sunk America's primary naval force. And, we would have retaliated with massive retaliation which would have ended all life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to keep their heads while calmly negotiate when many advisors around them was pushing for military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was the sense of optimism.

A Different Viewpoint

Still, for those 13 days in October, the tension was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world in the years following the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it via the Soviet education system, which painted a slightly different version of what happened.

"You said your father remembers it, and it was a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly wonderful or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, 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, thus didn’t start the war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. Later on, however, that perspective was not held by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying America."

An Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably balanced , well produced that Nina jokes it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, truly, the most significant thing remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR would appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we got along immediately and we’re friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our families have become friends, so I think global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels and Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of why The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since world leaders don’t seem to be able to learn