‘After nearly annihilating the world, our families are allies’: a gripping podcast from JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the world came closer toward annihilation more so than ever during modern times. This happened when an American surveillance aircraft discovered that Soviet atomic missile bases were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime quarantine encircling the island. What followed was almost a fortnight of impossible tension.

The Catastrophic Threat

The threat remained clear. Should Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a series of worldwide atomic strikes and retaliatory strikes would have followed, casting civilization into all-out ruination.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented endlessly, in volumes, movies, and TV documentaries. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents an unprecedented element to this historical narrative. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the leaders that, over two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What was the Soviet side considering? What was the United States considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also an academic of global relations.

For her, the beauty of the podcast lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can people detest one another to the point they confront one another?"

"It struck me how spectacular the fact that humans can be friends or else have the potential to be complete adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently an author as well as lawyer. "We see this dynamic repeatedly in instances where nations have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

The Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What’s striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens worldwide could watch nearly as it happened while it edged closer to catastrophe. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than anybody realised.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians stationed there would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, which would've sunk the naval vessels as well as destroyed America's primary naval force. And, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended most life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to remain calm while engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Different Viewpoint

Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born in the years following these events, and Nina being taught about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different version of events.

"You said your father recalls it, and it was a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are always fine or sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, and didn’t start the war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. Later on, though, that perspective was not shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying America."

A Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed and well produced that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This is, partly, due to contributions from historians. But, really, the most significant thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of America and the USSR to appear side by side. That these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"We aren't the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "Which is unfortunate since we connected really well and we’re friends, which is really great. Ultimately, after nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the world, our families are now allies, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Parallels with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of why The Bomb seems so urgent is that we now are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend