‘After nearly destroying our planet, our relatives are allies’: a gripping podcast from JFK & Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, humanity veered nearer toward destruction more so than ever during modern times. This happened when a US surveillance aircraft found that Soviet atomic missile installations were under construction in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. In response, President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to enact a naval blockade encircling Cuba. The ensuing period was almost a fortnight of unbearable stress.

The Unthinkable Danger

The peril remained palpable. If Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a series of global atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes might have followed, casting humanity into all-out destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented repeatedly, through books, movies, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces a novel dimension into this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the men who, over two tense weeks, held the destiny of humanity in their hands.

"What was the Kremlin considering? What was Washington considering?" asks Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and a professor specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the unique appeal of the show lies in its endeavor to explore: "Why do people hate one another and go against each other?"

"I am acutely aware how profound it is that people can be friends or have the potential to be complete enemies," states Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and now a writer and lawyer. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

A Brink of Catastrophe

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

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would've obliterated the aircraft carriers and destroyed America's primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, who managed to keep their heads and calmly negotiate when everyone around them were advocating military action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by the sense of hope.

The Different Perspective

Still, for those 13 days in October, the anxiety was felt globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva learned about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, describing it as a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware a great deal about it, because it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always wonderful and positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. In the years to come, however, that perspective would not be held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably balanced and well produced that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most momentous thing is the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable for relatives of the leaders of America and Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a sign of progress.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "After 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "That is a shame because we connected really well and now we are friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, following almost six decades of almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become allies, so I think the world is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels with Current Perils

Or is it? Part of the reason this series feels so necessary is that we once again are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to grasp