Following nearly annihilating our world, the relatives have become allies’: the gripping podcast featuring JFK & Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the world edged nearer to ruin than at any other point in the contemporary era. This transpired following the discovery that an American surveillance aircraft discovered that Russian nuclear weapon installations were being built in Cuba, less than 100 miles from American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK ordered a naval task force to impose a maritime blockade encircling Cuba. What followed constituted almost 14 days of unbearable tension.

The Unthinkable Threat

The threat remained clear. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a series involving worldwide atomic strikes and counterstrikes would have ensued, thrusting humanity into total oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented repeatedly, through volumes, movies, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents an unprecedented element into the story. The series is co-presented by Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the figures who, over 13 days, grasped the destiny of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin planning? What were the American side planning?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and an academic specializing in global relations.

In her view, the strength of the podcast is its endeavor to question: "Why do nations hate each other to the point they confront one another?"

"I am acutely aware how profound it is that humans have the potential to be friends or have the potential to be total enemies," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now a writer and attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the sheer folly involved to fight."

A Precipice of Disaster

What is striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired so publicly, citizens around the world could watch nearly in real time while it crept towards armageddon. Even so, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for a military strike followed by an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians stationed there would have launched a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've sunk the aircraft carriers as well as destroyed America's primary fleet. In turn, we would have responded through massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, they succeeded in remain calm while calmly negotiate when many advisors 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 relief was worldwide, as was a feeling of optimism.

A Different Perspective

Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after these events, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the USSR's school curriculum, which painted an alternative picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, describing it as a scary day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know that much about it, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always wonderful and sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. In the years to come, however, that perspective would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, partly, due to the participation of historians. But, really, the most momentous thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, has to be a symbol of hope.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we got along really well and now we’re friends, something that is really great. Finally, following nearly six decades of almost destroying the world, our families have become friends, so I think global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes with Current Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason why this series feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to comprehend