Following nearly destroying the world, our relatives have become allies’: a gripping podcast featuring John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the planet came nearer to ruin than at any other point in recent history. This happened following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane discovered the fact that Soviet atomic weapon installations were under construction on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the US mainland. In response, U.S. President JFK commanded a naval task force to establish a maritime blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted almost 14 days of extreme anxiety.

An Catastrophic Threat

The threat was obvious. If Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire on their enemy, a series involving global atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes could have ensued, thrusting civilization into total destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered extensively, in volumes, films, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents an unprecedented element into this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the leaders who, over two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What was the Kremlin thinking? What was Washington planning?" asks Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the strength of the podcast lies in its attempt to question: "Why do people hate each other and go against one another?"

"I am acutely aware how remarkable it is that humans have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be complete adversaries," states Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and currently an author and attorney. "We see this repeatedly in instances where countries enter into conflict, highlighting the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare."

The Brink Towards Disaster

What’s striking regarding this event is that, since it transpired so publicly, citizens around the world could watch almost in real time as it moved towards armageddon. However, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than what most people realised.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would have deployed a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, which would have obliterated our naval vessels and destroyed America's largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation which would have ended most life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements around them was pushing for military action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Different Viewpoint

Still, during those 13 days in October, the fear was palpable globally. The Bomb’s presenters were born in the years following the crisis, with Nina being taught about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which presented a slightly different picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly wonderful or sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, as it was a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, and avoided the war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she continues. Subsequently, though, that view was not shared by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is so even-handed and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most significant thing is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for relatives of the heads of state of America and USSR would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a symbol of hope.

"We aren't the first," smiles Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we connected really well and we’re friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after almost six decades of nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now friends, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Parallels and Present Dangers

Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we now find ourselves in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to learn