Following nearly annihilating the planet, the relatives are friends’: the gripping podcast featuring JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, humanity veered closer toward annihilation than at any other point in the contemporary era. This occurred after an American surveillance plane discovered the fact that Soviet nuclear missile installations were being built on the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK commanded a naval task force to enact a maritime quarantine around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted almost 14 days of impossible stress.

The Catastrophic Threat

The danger remained palpable. If Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a chain reaction of global atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes would have ensued, thrusting humanity toward all-out oblivion.

The October crisis has been documented extensively, through volumes, movies, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces a novel element to the story. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the men that, over two tense weeks, held the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What was the Russians considering? What were the United States planning?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and an academic of international affairs.

In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its endeavor to explore: "Why do individuals detest one another and go against each other?"

"I am acutely aware how profound it is that humans can be friends or else have the potential to be complete enemies," states Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to the late president and currently an author as well as lawyer. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when countries have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality involved to fight."

A Brink Towards Disaster

What is striking about this event is that, because it unfolded so publicly, citizens around the world were able to observe almost as it happened while it crept towards disaster. However, the danger of annihilation came closer than most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly the Russians stationed there would have fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would have sunk our aircraft carriers and destroyed America's largest and most important naval force. And, we would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone in their governments were advocating military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, as was the sense of optimism.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, during those 13 days in October, the tension was palpable globally. The podcast's co-hosts were born shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which painted a slightly different version of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware that much about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly fine and positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "They told me what a great occasion it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she continues. Later on, though, that view was not shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is so even-handed , well produced so much so that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, in part, due to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most momentous thing is the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a sign of progress.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we had never met prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we connected really well and now we are friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages 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 are living living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to learn