Following nearly annihilating the planet, our relatives are friends’: a gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, humanity edged closer toward destruction than at any other point during the contemporary era. This transpired following the discovery that an American surveillance plane identified the fact that Soviet atomic weapon bases were under construction in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. In response, President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime quarantine around Cuba. The ensuing period was nearly 14 days of unbearable anxiety.

The Catastrophic Threat

The threat remained clear. If President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on their enemy, a chain reaction involving worldwide atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes might have followed, casting mankind toward all-out oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered endlessly, in volumes, films, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a novel dimension into the story. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the leaders that, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What was the Soviet side considering? What were the American side considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic specializing in global relations.

For her, the strength of the show lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do nations detest one another to the point they oppose each other?"

"It struck me how profound it is that humans can be allies or else have the potential to be complete enemies," states Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and now a writer and lawyer. "We see this repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, highlighting the profound irrationality it is to fight."

A Brink of Catastrophe

What is notable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded so publicly, people around the world were able to observe almost in real time while it edged towards catastrophe. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction was more imminent than what anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, and that would have sunk the aircraft carriers and destroyed our primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in exercise restraint and calmly negotiate at a time when everyone in their governments demanded action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was the sense of hope.

The Divergent Perspective

Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world shortly after the crisis, with Khrushcheva learned about the crisis via the Soviet education system, which presented an alternative narrative of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, describing it as a frightening time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know a great deal about it, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that things are always fine and sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was different. "They told me what a great moment it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start the war, seen as a positive thing," she continues. Subsequently, though, that interpretation was not held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably balanced , well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. Yet, really, the most significant thing remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable that descendants of the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union to appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"We are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met before the podcast," adds Max. "That is unfortunate since we connected immediately and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, after almost 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become friends, suggesting the world is safer, somewhat."

Modern Echoes with Current Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since world leaders appear not to be able to grasp