Following nearly annihilating our world, the relatives are allies’: a gripping podcast featuring John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, the planet came closer toward annihilation more so than ever in recent history. This transpired following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft found that Russian atomic missile installations were being built in the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to establish a maritime blockade around Cuba. The next phase constituted nearly 14 days filled with extreme stress.

The Unthinkable Danger

The danger remained palpable. Should Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a chain reaction involving worldwide nuclear attacks followed by retaliatory strikes would have followed, thrusting mankind into all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined endlessly, through books, movies, as well as TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new dimension to the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the leaders who, for 13 days, grasped the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin thinking? What were the United States planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt to objectively ask: "How can people hate each other to the point they confront one another?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that individuals have the potential to be friends or else can become total enemies," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently a writer as well as lawyer. "We see this dynamic over and over in instances where nations enter into conflict, highlighting the sheer folly it is to fight."

The Precipice of Disaster

What is remarkable regarding this event is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, people globally were able to observe almost as it happened while it edged closer to catastrophe. Even so, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike followed by an invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would've deployed a nuclear warhead against the American ships, which would have sunk the aircraft carriers as well as destroyed America's largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have responded through massive retaliation which would have ended all life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, they succeeded in keep their heads and calmly negotiate when everyone in their governments demanded military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of optimism.

The Different Perspective

Still, for those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world in the years following these events, with Nina being taught about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which painted an alternative picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always wonderful and positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me what a great occasion it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided the war, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. In the years to come, however, that perspective would not be held by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is remarkably even-handed , well produced that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. But, really, the most momentous thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union would appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of hope.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," smiles Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame because we connected immediately and we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our families are now allies, so I think the world is safer, somewhat."

Modern Parallels and Present Perils

Or is it? One reason why The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to be able to learn