Following almost annihilating the planet, our families are allies’: a thrilling audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, the planet edged closer toward annihilation more so than ever during modern times. This transpired following the discovery that a US surveillance aircraft found that Soviet nuclear missile sites were under construction on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President JFK commanded a naval task force to establish a naval blockade encircling Cuba. The next phase constituted almost two weeks of extreme stress.

An Catastrophic Threat

The peril was palpable. If Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a chain reaction of global nuclear attacks followed by retaliatory strikes could have ensued, casting humanity into all-out ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined repeatedly, in books, films, and TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces a novel perspective to this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the leaders who, for two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Russians considering? What was the United States thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic of international affairs.

For her, the strength of the podcast is its attempt to objectively ask: "How can individuals hate one another to the point they go against one another?"

"It struck me how remarkable it is that humans have the potential to be friends or can become total enemies," remarks Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of the late president and now a writer and attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly in instances where countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

A Precipice of Catastrophe

What is notable regarding this event is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, people worldwide were able to observe almost as it happened as it edged towards armageddon. Even so, the danger of destruction came closer than anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would've sunk the aircraft carriers and sunk America's largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy when everyone in their governments were advocating military action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles in Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed American missiles based in Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Different Perspective

Yet, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt globally. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world in the years following the crisis, and Nina learned about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, describing it as a scary time," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know that much about it, since it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are always fine and positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, it was different. "I was informed what a great occasion for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful thing," she continues. In the years to come, though, that interpretation would not be held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced , well produced that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most momentous aspect remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable that relatives of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Max. "That is unfortunate since we connected really well and we are friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our families have become friends, so I think global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Echoes and Current Perils

Or is it? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is that we now are living living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, partly since world leaders appear not to be able to learn