Following almost annihilating our world, our relatives have become friends’: a thrilling audio series featuring JFK & Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, humanity veered nearer to annihilation than at any other point during modern times. This occurred when a US surveillance aircraft discovered the fact that Soviet atomic missile bases were being built on Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to impose a maritime quarantine encircling the island. What followed constituted almost 14 days filled with impossible anxiety.

An Unthinkable Threat

The peril remained palpable. If President Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a series of worldwide atomic strikes and retaliatory strikes could have ensued, thrusting civilization into total ruination.

The October crisis has been documented extensively, in books, movies, and TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents an unprecedented element into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the figures that, for two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What was the Russians considering? What was Washington considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic of international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast lies in its attempt to explore: "Why do individuals hate each other to the point they confront one another?"

"It struck me how remarkable the fact that people can be friends or else have the potential to be total enemies," states Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now an author as well as attorney. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where nations have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality it is to fight."

The Brink of Catastrophe

What’s notable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded so publicly, people globally could watch almost as it happened as it edged closer to disaster. Even so, the threat of destruction came closer than what anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians on the ground would've fired a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've destroyed the naval vessels and destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads and calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors in their governments was pushing for action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the missiles from Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, for those two weeks in October, the fear was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after these events, with Nina learned about the crisis via the Soviet education system, which painted a slightly different picture of events.

"You said your father remembers it, and it was a scary time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was constantly wonderful and positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great occasion for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. In the years to come, however, that view would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is so balanced , well produced that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union to appear side by side. 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.

"We are not the first," smiles Nina. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Max. "Which is a shame because we connected immediately and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, after almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages have become friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes with Present Dangers

Or is it? One reason the reason this series feels so necessary is because we now are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, partly since world leaders appear not to be able to comprehend