‘After almost annihilating the world, our relatives are friends’: the gripping podcast featuring JFK and Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, humanity came closer to annihilation than at any other point in recent history. This occurred following the discovery that a US surveillance aircraft found the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon sites were under construction in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from American soil. In response, President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval blockade around Cuba. What followed constituted almost a fortnight of extreme stress.

An Unthinkable Threat

The peril was palpable. Should President Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a series of global nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes could have followed, plunging civilization toward total oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered extensively, through volumes, movies, as well as television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought a completely new perspective into the story. The series is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the figures that, over two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of the planet in their hands.

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

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

"It struck me how remarkable the fact that individuals can be friends or can become complete enemies," remarks Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now an author as well as attorney. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where nations enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly involved to fight."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What is striking about this event is that, since it unfolded so publicly, people globally were able to observe almost as it happened as it edged towards catastrophe. However, the danger of destruction was more imminent than what most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for an airstrike and an invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans with the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians on the ground would've fired a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, which would have sunk the aircraft carriers as well as destroyed our primary naval force. In turn, we would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint while engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his similar weapons based in Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, for those 13 days in October, the fear was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following these events, with Nina learned about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which painted an alternative picture of events.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always wonderful or sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, it was different. "They told me what a great moment it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, and avoided the war, which was a positive thing," she adds. Subsequently, though, that perspective was not held by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably balanced and well produced that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most momentous aspect remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable for descendants of the leaders of America and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. That these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, has to be a sign of progress.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame because we connected really well and we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, after almost six decades of nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Parallels and Present Dangers

Or is it? One reason why this series seems so urgent is because we once again are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to be able to grasp