One Soviet Officer Stopped Nuclear War

[00:00:00]The world came closer to nuclear war than most people realize.

[00:00:04]In October 1962, humanity stood on the edge of disaster. The United States and the Soviet Union were locked in the most dangerous confrontation of the Cold War.

[00:00:13]Near Cuba, American warships surrounded Soviet submarines hidden deep underwater. One of those submarines lost contact with Moscow and could no longer receive orders. Inside the submarine, the crew believed World War might have already begun above them. The situation became even more dangerous because the submarine carried a nuclear torpedo. The captain was convinced that war had started and wanted to launch the weapon immediately. A single launch could have triggered a chain of events that might have changed history forever. Two senior officers were ready to approve the launch and retaliate against the United States. Without Arkhipov's approval, the nuclear torpedo could not be launched from the submarine. Despite the tension, the arguments, and the fear, he continued to refuse the order.

[00:00:54]Eventually, the submarine surfaced, communication was restored, and the crisis slowly came to an end. Many historians believe that Vasily Arkhipov may have been the one man who prevented a nuclear war and saved millions of lives.