Episode 10

Nuclear war is terrifyingly close as the United States and Soviet Union are on the brink of global catastrophe. Hosts Nina Khrushcheva and Max Kennedy, relatives of the superpower leaders, tell the personal and political history of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. When more than 40,000 Soviet troops move into Cuba in secret, we explore what drives US President John F Kennedy and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. With leading historians, Max and Nina describe how the crisis moves beyond Khrushchev and Kennedy’s control as a U-2 spy plane is shot down over Cuba, while out at sea a Soviet submarine captain is seconds away from firing a nuclear torpedo at a US Navy ship. Conversations between Max and Nina follow the personal relationship between Kennedy and Khrushchev, from their first meeting as world leaders in Vienna in 1961 to JFK’s assassination in 1963.

Nina Khrushcheva is the great-granddaughter of Nikita Khrushchev and Max Kennedy is the nephew of President John F Kennedy, and the son of Robert F Kennedy.

Produced by Megan Jones, Edited by Chris Ledgard, sound design by Skywalker Sound, Commissioned by Simon Pitts, this is a BBC Audio Wales production for BBC World Service.