THE MOST
DAGEROUS DAY
: OCTOBER 27, 1962:
SARASIJ MAJUMDER
BACKGROUND:
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a 13-day confrontation
between the United States of America and the Soviet Union during October 1962
that brought the world close to nuclear war.
The crisis occurred when the Cold War was at its peak, and the Soviet
Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba. The missiles could reach much of
the Eastern United States within minutes.
The crisis began on October 16, 1962, when the United States
and the Soviet Union deployed nuclear missiles in their respective
countries. The United States cut off supplies to Cuba and demanded the
missiles be removed.
THE PLOT
THICKENS IN Sub-B--59:
It appeared to be the
day of last Century, when entire civilization was just one man’s vote away from
probable mass annihilation.
That man refused to give it, on that most dangerous
day: October 27, 1962.
Vasili Arkhipov was Flotilla Commander present on the Soviet
Foxtrot-class submarine B-59 in the Caribbean sea when it was “contacted”
by American War Ships enforcing the blockade of Cuba during the 1962 Cuban
Missile Crisis — the tense standoff between the USA and USSR over the issue of
Soviet nuclear weapons in Cuba.
Depth charges were dropped by the Americans on October 27,
aimed at forcing the submarine to surface and identify itself.
Refusing to comply, and with the individual submarine’s
captain believing it was a hostile attack aimed at the submarine’s destruction,
the sub descended further and was cut off from all outside communication.
The sub’s Captain, Valentin Savitsky, came to the conclusion
that war had started. He sought the necessary approval of two others on
board, political officer Ivan Masslenikov and the flotilla commander Vasili
Arkhipov, to launch a nuclear torpedo.
Masslenikov agreed. Arkhipov refused.
They were now just one man’s consent away from launching
nuclear war number two, and World War number 3.
It’s always a cliche to say “no one wants war, especially a
nuclear one” but some actually do or did. (In this time period, for example,
the new leaders of Cuba, among them Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, were then
quite eager to goad and risk it, sending a letter to the Soviet leader urging
on such an attack, and did so on…wait for it…. October 27, 1962, the dangerous
day. Fidel Castro: I Was Wrong to Tell
Khrushchev to Obliterate the U.S.).
And at least some are ready to accept it if it seems like
the proper duty to perform at the moment.
Arkhipov held his ground, however, against the increasing
anger of the submarine commander, refusing to approve a nuclear torpedo launch
that would most likely trigger a conflict that would doom civilization, if not
also much of humanity.
Physical heat is reported to have risen and proper air
conditioning systems collapsed in the deeply submerged vessel, but Arkhipov
kept his emotional and judgmental cool even as tensions flared inside the sub on
that fateful October 27 — as well as in the world outside it. Working in
Arkhipov’s favour was his leadership credibility earned from an earlier command
in which he had saved his nuclear powered vessel from full meltdown. Vasili Arkhipov was clearly someone to take seriously
on matters of life and death, submarine warfare and nuclear power.
NEGOTIATIONS:
President John F. Kennedy and Soviet leader Nikita
Khrushchev exchanged messages over the next several days. Khrushchev
agreed to remove the missiles if the United States promised not to invade Cuba
without provocation. Kennedy agreed and also promised to withdraw the
United States' missiles placed in Turkey.
B—59||FINAL
DECISION:
Vasili Arkhipov finally convinced the captain to risk
surfacing and getting updates and orders. Despite the American pursuit,
they were able to do so.
There was no war, as RUSSIN CONTROL confirmed. All SUBs were instructed instead to
return to the USSR.
And so October 27 was very likely the most dangerous day in
human history, or certainly one of the most dangerous days. One man kept his
head and so, consequently, did the rest of us living that day, and today.
WHAT
EMEWRGED:-
The crisis ended in late November 1962, with both sides
fulfilling their promises. The crisis was a major turning point in
U.S.-Soviet relations and played a role in Khrushchev's fall from power.
The Cuban Missile Crisis is considered one of the most
dangerous moments in the world history after WW-II.
I think there is no movie about “CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS”, though
a few documentaries seem to have been made. But if someone did a cinematic life
story of Vasili Arkhipov, even Hollywood may have difficulty casting someone
sufficiently heroically dashing to play him in his younger years.
You can learn more about the Cuban Missile Crisis from the
references listed below:
Image:- The source is written on the image, and author is acknowledged.
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