Following nearly annihilating the planet, the families have become friends’: a thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, the world veered closer toward annihilation more so than ever in the contemporary era. This happened after an American reconnaissance plane identified that Russian nuclear missile sites were being assembled in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the United States. Reacting to this, President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime quarantine encircling the island. The ensuing period was almost two weeks filled with unbearable stress.

An Unthinkable Threat

The danger remained palpable. Should Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a chain reaction involving worldwide atomic attacks and retaliatory strikes could have followed, thrusting humanity into all-out ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, through volumes, movies, as well as TV documentaries. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought a novel element to this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the men who, for two tense weeks, grasped the fate of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Russians planning? What were Washington planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor of international affairs.

For her, the strength of the show lies in its endeavor to explore: "Why do nations hate one another and go against each other?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that people can be friends or have the potential to be total adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently a writer and attorney. "History shows this dynamic over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, demonstrating the profound irrationality involved to fight."

The Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What is remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded so publicly, citizens around the world could watch almost in real time while it moved closer to disaster. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike followed by an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would have obliterated the aircraft carriers and sunk America's primary naval force. And, we would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have ended most life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to keep their heads while calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors in their governments demanded action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Different Perspective

Still, for those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world shortly after the crisis, with Nina learned about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different narrative of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was constantly fine or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, it was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, which was a positive thing," she continues. In the years to come, however, that view was not held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying America."

An Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is remarkably even-handed and well produced so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This effect is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most groundbreaking aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, has to be a sign of hope.

"We aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Max. "That is unfortunate since we connected really well and now we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, following nearly 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now allies, so I think the world is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is that we once again are living living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn