‘After nearly annihilating the world, our relatives have become allies’: the thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, humanity came closer to destruction than at any other point in the contemporary era. This transpired following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft identified the fact that Russian nuclear weapon sites were under construction in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of American soil. In response, President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval quarantine around the island. The next phase was almost two weeks of impossible stress.

The Catastrophic Threat

The danger was palpable. If President Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a cascade involving global nuclear attacks and counterstrikes could have followed, thrusting mankind into all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered repeatedly, through volumes, movies, as well as television programmes. But, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces a completely new perspective into the story. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the figures that, over two tense weeks, grasped the fate of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin considering? What were the United States thinking?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in global relations.

In her view, the strength of the show lies in its endeavor to explore: "Why do people detest one another and confront one another?"

"It struck me how spectacular it is that people can be allies or have the potential to be complete adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to JFK and now an author as well as lawyer. "We see this dynamic repeatedly in instances where nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the sheer folly it is to fight."

A Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is notable about this event was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens around the world were able to observe almost as it happened while it crept towards disaster. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation came closer than what most people realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike and a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians stationed there would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have sunk our naval vessels as well as destroyed our largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, who managed to keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements in their governments demanded military action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American missiles from Turkey. The relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Different Viewpoint

Still, for those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world in the years following these events, and Nina learned about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which painted a slightly different narrative of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know a great deal about it, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly wonderful and positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. In the years to come, however, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is remarkably balanced and well produced that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant aspect remains the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of America and the USSR would appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "After 1991, a relative moved to America where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "That is unfortunate because we connected really well and now we are friends, which is really great. Finally, following nearly six decades since almost destroying the world, our lineages are now friends, so I think global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Parallels and Present Dangers

Or is it? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is that we now are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to be able to comprehend