Following nearly annihilating the world, our relatives have become allies’: a gripping audio series from JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the world veered closer toward annihilation than at any other point in recent history. This transpired when an American reconnaissance plane found that Soviet atomic missile installations were being assembled on Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval quarantine encircling the island. The ensuing period was nearly 14 days of unbearable tension.

An Unthinkable Danger

The danger was palpable. If Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a cascade involving global atomic attacks and retaliatory strikes could have ensued, plunging civilization toward total oblivion.

The October crisis has been covered extensively, in volumes, films, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought an unprecedented element into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the figures that, over two tense weeks, held the fate of the world in their hands.

"What was the Russians considering? What were the American side thinking?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and an academic specializing in global relations.

For her, the beauty of the show is its endeavor to explore: "Why do individuals detest each other to the point they confront each other?"

"It struck me how profound the fact that individuals can be friends or can become total adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and currently an author as well as lawyer. "We see this repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

A Precipice of Catastrophe

What is remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded so publicly, citizens worldwide could watch nearly as it happened while it edged closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the risk of destruction was more imminent than what anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians on the ground would have launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, which would have sunk the naval vessels and destroyed our primary fleet. In turn, we would have retaliated with massive retaliation which would have ended most life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements around them were advocating action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the missiles from Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed American similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was the sense of optimism.

The Divergent Perspective

Still, for those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, with Nina being taught about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which presented an alternative picture of events.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly fine and sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, it was distinct. "They told me what a great moment it was, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and avoided a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. Later on, however, that perspective would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced , expertly crafted that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most groundbreaking thing remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of America and Soviet Union would 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 sign of hope.

"We aren't the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is a shame because we connected really well and we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, after almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages are now allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to be able to grasp