‘After almost annihilating our planet, our families are friends’: the thrilling audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the planet edged nearer to ruin more so than ever in the contemporary era. This happened after a US surveillance aircraft discovered the fact that Soviet atomic missile sites were being assembled on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from the US mainland. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to impose a maritime quarantine around Cuba. The next phase constituted nearly a fortnight of unbearable anxiety.

An Unthinkable Threat

The threat remained palpable. If President Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a series involving worldwide atomic attacks followed by retaliatory strikes might have ensued, casting mankind toward all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been examined extensively, through volumes, movies, as well as TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces a novel dimension into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the leaders who, for two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side considering? What were the American side considering?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the show lies in its endeavor to explore: "How can nations hate each other to the point they oppose each other?"

"It was not lost on me how spectacular it is that humans have the potential to be friends or else have the potential to be total adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to JFK and now an author and lawyer. "History shows this repeatedly when countries have gone to war, demonstrating the sheer folly involved to fight."

The Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What is notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded so publicly, citizens around the world were able to observe nearly as it happened while it moved towards disaster. However, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than what most people realised.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba with the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would have obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as destroyed our largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, who succeeded in exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating 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 based in Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was the sense of hope.

The Different Perspective

Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative version of events.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a scary day," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal about it, because it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was constantly wonderful and positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, as it was a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. In the years to come, however, that interpretation was not held by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is so even-handed and well produced that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most groundbreaking thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of America and USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a symbol of hope.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers prior to this project," adds Max. "Which is unfortunate because we got along really well and we’re friends, something that is really great. Finally, after almost six decades since nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes and Present Dangers

Or is it? Part of why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to learn