Following almost destroying the world, the families have become friends’: the gripping podcast featuring John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the planet came nearer to annihilation than at any other point during the contemporary era. This happened following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane identified the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon installations were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK commanded a naval task force to establish a maritime blockade around the island. The ensuing period was almost a fortnight of extreme anxiety.

An Catastrophic Danger

The peril remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a chain reaction involving global atomic strikes and retaliatory strikes could have ensued, thrusting humanity into total ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented extensively, in volumes, films, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a completely new dimension into the story. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the men that, for two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side planning? What were Washington considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic specializing in global relations.

For her, the beauty of the show lies in its attempt to question: "Why do nations detest each other to the point they go against one another?"

"It struck me how remarkable it is that humans can be allies or can become total enemies," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now an author as well as attorney. "We see this over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality it is to fight."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What’s notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded so publicly, citizens worldwide could watch almost as it happened as it crept towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction was more imminent than most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would've sunk our naval vessels and destroyed America's primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation that would have ended most life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, who succeeded in remain calm and engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements around them demanded action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed American missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of optimism.

A Different Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world shortly after the crisis, with Nina being taught about it via the Soviet education system, which presented an alternative version of what happened.

"You said your father recalls it, describing it as a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know that much about it, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly fine and positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was distinct. "They told me what a great moment it was, because it was a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, and avoided the war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she continues. Subsequently, however, that view was not held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of historians. But, really, the most momentous aspect remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union to appear side by side. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a sign of optimism.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Nina. "After 1991, a relative moved to America and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "Which is unfortunate because we got along immediately and we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages have become allies, suggesting the world is safer, somewhat."

Modern Parallels and Present Perils

Or is it? Part of why this series seems so urgent is that we now find ourselves living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend