Vasili Arkhipov
TL;DR: The Soviet submarine officer who refused to launch a nuclear torpedo.
Beneath the Blockade
During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, the Soviet submarine B-59 was cornered by US Navy destroyers in the Caribbean. The Americans, unaware the sub carried a nuclear torpedo, dropped depth charges to force it to surface. Inside the B-59, conditions were hellish: the air conditioning had failed, temperatures rose to 45°C (113°F), and carbon dioxide levels were toxic.
The Vote
Cut off from Moscow and believing World War III had already started, the captain and the political officer voted to launch their 10-kiloton nuclear torpedo at the US fleet. This would have vaporized the American ships and triggered an immediate nuclear response. However, launch required unanimous consent from all three senior officers. Vasili Arkhipov was the third.
The Man Who Said No
Despite the panic and the captain's screaming, Arkhipov remained calm. He refused to authorize the launch. He argued that the depth charges were likely signals to surface, not attacks to kill. He eventually convinced the captain to surface the submarine and return to Russia. His single vote prevented a nuclear war that could have wiped out humanity.
The World Without Him
Had Arkhipov agreed to the launch, the torpedo would have destroyed the US aircraft carrier USS Randolph. The US would have immediately retaliated with nuclear depth charges and a strike on Moscow. Escalation would have been instantaneous. It is highly probable that most major cities in the Northern Hemisphere would have been incinerated in October 1962.
References
- The Guardian: Soviet submarine officer who averted nuclear war honoured with prize
- Wikipedia: Vasili Arkhipov
