Following almost annihilating our world, the relatives have become allies’: the gripping podcast featuring JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, humanity veered closer to annihilation more so than ever during modern times. This happened following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft identified that Russian atomic missile sites were under construction on Cuba, less than 100 miles from American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK directed a naval task force to establish a naval blockade encircling Cuba. What followed constituted almost 14 days filled with impossible stress.

An Catastrophic Threat

The peril remained clear. If Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire on their enemy, a cascade of worldwide nuclear attacks followed by retaliatory strikes might have ensued, plunging civilization toward total ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, through volumes, films, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents a completely new dimension into the story. The series is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the men that, over two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What was the Russians considering? What were the United States considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and a professor specializing in global relations.

For her, the strength of the podcast is its endeavor to question: "Why do people hate each other and confront one another?"

"It struck me how spectacular it is that people can be friends or have the potential to be total adversaries," states Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to the late president and currently an author and lawyer. "We see this over and over when countries enter into conflict, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

A Brink of Disaster

What’s striking about this event was that, because it transpired so publicly, individuals around the world were able to observe almost in real time while it edged towards catastrophe. Even so, the risk of destruction was more imminent than anybody realised.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would have launched a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would've obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as sunk our largest and most important naval force. And, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in exercise restraint and calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors around them was pushing for action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his missiles from Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, for those 13 days in October, the anxiety was palpable globally. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world in the years following the crisis, and Nina being taught about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which presented an alternative picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening day," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that things are constantly wonderful or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, because it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she continues. Subsequently, however, that interpretation was not held by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is so even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This effect is, in part, due to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most significant aspect remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and the Soviet Union would appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of progress.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America and formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame since we connected really well and now we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after almost six decades of nearly annihilating the world, our lineages have become allies, suggesting global relations is safer, somewhat."

Modern Parallels and Current Dangers

Or is it? One reason the reason this series seems so urgent is because we once again find ourselves in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to learn