‘After almost annihilating the planet, the relatives are allies’: the thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, the planet veered closer to annihilation than at any other point during recent history. This transpired when an American surveillance aircraft discovered that Soviet atomic weapon installations were under construction on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to impose a maritime blockade encircling Cuba. What followed was nearly a fortnight of impossible tension.

The Catastrophic Threat

The peril remained clear. Should Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a chain reaction of global atomic attacks and counterstrikes would have ensued, plunging mankind into total ruination.

The October crisis has been covered repeatedly, in books, films, as well as TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a completely new element to this historical narrative. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the figures who, over 13 days, held the fate of humanity in their hands.

"What was the Russians considering? What were the American side considering?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor of global relations.

In her view, the unique appeal of the show lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can individuals detest each other to the point they go against one another?"

"It was not lost on me how profound it is that individuals have the potential to be allies or else can become total adversaries," adds Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and now an author and attorney. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

The Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What is remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it unfolded so publicly, people around the world were able to observe nearly as it happened as it crept towards disaster. Nonetheless, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would have obliterated the naval vessels as well as sunk our largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, they managed to remain calm and engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone in their governments demanded military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by the sense of optimism.

A Different Viewpoint

Still, for those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was palpable globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, and Nina being taught about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which presented a slightly different narrative of events.

"You said your father remembers it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know a great deal about it, since it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always wonderful and positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Subsequently, though, that interpretation would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced , well produced that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. But, truly, the most groundbreaking thing is the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR would appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a sign of optimism.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame since we got along really well and we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, after almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now allies, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes and Current Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason why this series seems so urgent is that we once again are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp