Following almost destroying our world, the families are friends’: a thrilling podcast featuring JFK and Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, humanity edged nearer toward destruction more so than ever in recent history. This happened after an American surveillance plane discovered that Russian atomic missile bases were under construction in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the United States. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to establish a naval quarantine around the island. The next phase constituted nearly a fortnight filled with impossible tension.

The Catastrophic Danger

The peril remained obvious. If Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a cascade of worldwide nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes might have ensued, casting mankind into all-out ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered extensively, through volumes, films, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented perspective into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the figures that, for 13 days, controlled the fate of the planet within their grasp.

"What was the Kremlin thinking? What was the United States considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic of global relations.

For her, the strength of the podcast is its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do individuals hate one another and oppose one another?"

"It was not lost on me how profound it is that individuals have the potential to be friends or have the potential to be complete adversaries," states Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently an author as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the sheer folly involved to fight."

A Brink of Catastrophe

What’s notable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded so publicly, people globally were able to observe almost as it happened while it edged closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've obliterated our aircraft carriers and sunk America's primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to remain calm and calmly negotiate when everyone in their governments were advocating military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Divergent Perspective

Yet, for those 13 days in October, the fear was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after these events, and Nina being taught about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which painted a slightly different narrative of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware a great deal about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are always fine and positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she continues. Subsequently, though, that interpretation would not be held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most momentous thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable for descendants of the leaders of America and USSR would appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"We aren't the first," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, a relative moved to America and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Max. "That is unfortunate because we got along really well and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following almost six decades of almost destroying the planet, our families have become friends, suggesting the world is safer, somewhat."

Modern Echoes with Current Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason this series feels so necessary is because we now are living in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to comprehend