Following almost annihilating our world, our relatives are friends’: the thrilling audio series from JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, humanity edged nearer to annihilation than at any other point in modern times. This transpired following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane found that Russian atomic weapon sites were being assembled in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK commanded a naval task force to enact a naval blockade encircling Cuba. What followed was almost a fortnight of unbearable stress.

An Unthinkable Danger

The danger was clear. If Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a cascade involving global atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes would have followed, thrusting mankind toward total destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, in books, movies, as well as television programmes. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought an unprecedented dimension into the story. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the leaders who, for two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of the planet within their grasp.

"What was the Soviet side considering? What were the United States planning?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the show lies in its endeavor to explore: "Why do individuals hate one another and go against one another?"

"It struck me how spectacular it is that humans can be friends or have the potential to be complete adversaries," adds Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now a writer as well as lawyer. "We see this repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

The Brink Towards Disaster

What’s remarkable about this event was that, since it unfolded so publicly, citizens around the world were able to observe almost in real time as it crept towards disaster. Even so, the threat of destruction came closer than what most people understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike and an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba using the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, which would've destroyed our naval vessels and destroyed our primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, they succeeded in remain calm while engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements around them were advocating military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was a feeling of optimism.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was felt globally. The Bomb’s presenters were born in the years following these events, with Nina learned about the crisis via the USSR's education system, which painted a slightly different version of events.

"You said your father remembers it, describing it as a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are constantly fine and sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, it was distinct. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, as it was a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, and didn’t start a global war, seen as a positive thing," she adds. Subsequently, though, that view was not shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed , well produced that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, in part, due to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most momentous thing remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union to appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of progress.

"We are not the first," smiles Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met before the podcast," adds Max. "Which is unfortunate since we got along really well and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years of almost destroying the world, our lineages are now allies, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes and Present Dangers

Or is it? One reason why this series feels so necessary is that we now find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to comprehend