Following almost destroying our planet, the relatives have become friends’: the gripping podcast featuring John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, humanity edged nearer to ruin than at any other point in modern times. This occurred following the discovery that an American reconnaissance aircraft discovered that Russian atomic weapon bases were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK commanded a naval task force to enact a naval quarantine around Cuba. The next phase constituted nearly 14 days filled with extreme tension.

The Catastrophic Threat

The peril was obvious. Should President Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a cascade involving worldwide nuclear attacks followed by retaliatory strikes might have followed, casting civilization toward total ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined extensively, through volumes, films, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces a novel element into the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the figures who, over 13 days, controlled the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin thinking? What was Washington planning?" asks Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in international affairs.

For her, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do nations hate each other to the point they confront one another?"

"I am acutely aware how profound it is that people have the potential to be allies or can become total enemies," states Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of the late president and now a writer and lawyer. "We see this dynamic over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice of Disaster

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, people globally were able to observe almost in real time as it edged towards catastrophe. However, the danger of destruction came closer than anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike and a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would have obliterated the naval vessels and sunk our primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have ended most life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads while calmly negotiate when many advisors around them were advocating military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed American missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Divergent Perspective

Yet, during those 13 days in October, the fear was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world in the years following these events, and Nina being taught about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which presented a slightly different picture of events.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always wonderful or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, it was distinct. "I was informed what a great moment it was, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided the war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. In the years to come, however, that interpretation would not be held by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying America."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most groundbreaking thing is the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of hope.

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

"But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we connected really well and now we’re friends, something that is really great. Finally, following almost six decades since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages have become friends, suggesting the world is safer, somewhat."

Modern Echoes and Current Dangers

Or is it? One reason why The Bomb feels so necessary is because we now are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen appear not to be able to comprehend