‘After nearly destroying our world, the families are allies’: a gripping audio series featuring JFK and Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, humanity came closer toward destruction than at any other point in recent history. This happened after a US reconnaissance plane identified that Russian atomic weapon sites were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from the United States. In response, President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval quarantine encircling the island. The next phase constituted almost 14 days filled with impossible stress.

An Catastrophic Danger

The danger was clear. If Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a series involving worldwide nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes could have followed, plunging civilization into total destruction.

The October crisis has been covered endlessly, through volumes, films, as well as television programmes. However, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new element to this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the leaders who, over 13 days, grasped the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What was the Russians considering? What was Washington considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and an academic specializing in global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the show is its endeavor to explore: "How can individuals hate one another and oppose each other?"

"It struck me how remarkable it is that humans have the potential to be friends or else have the potential to be total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this dynamic over and over when countries enter into conflict, highlighting the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare."

The Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What’s striking about this event is that, since it transpired so publicly, people around the world could watch nearly as it happened while it edged towards catastrophe. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation came closer than most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for an airstrike and an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have sunk the aircraft carriers as well as destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. And, we would have retaliated with massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, they succeeded in keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone in their governments were advocating military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed American missiles based in Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was a feeling of hope.

The Different Perspective

Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts were born shortly after these events, and Nina learned about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which presented an alternative narrative of events.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening day," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are always fine or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, as it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start the war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. Subsequently, however, that view was not shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying America."

An Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , well produced so much so that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget the known outcome. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, truly, the most momentous aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

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

"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame because we connected immediately and now we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after nearly six decades of nearly annihilating the world, our lineages have become friends, so I think global relations is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes and Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason why this series feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to learn