Who Is The Man Who Prevented America And The Soviet Union From Ending Everything?
The world almost potentially ended on a fateful day in October of 1962. One man is credited with saving the day through decisive action. Do you know his name?
That Man’s Name Was Vasily Arkhipov
An officer in the Soviet Navy from the 1940s until the late 1980s, Vasily Arkhipov is perhaps the most important serviceman their armed forces ever saw.
Olga Arkhipova, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
That Man’s Name Was Vasily Arkhipov
His accomplishments harken back to the Cold War, which may seem like distant history to some, but it was certainly an influential moment in the 20th century, and we’re still living with the ramifications of it.
The Nuclear Stockpile Being Used Was A Genuine Worry
Everything changed forever in 1945 when America dropped the newly developed nuclear bomb on both Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan under the justification of ending the six-year global conflict.
Maarten Heerlien, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Nuclear Stockpile Being Used Was A Genuine Worry
A nuclear arms buildup developed between political rivals America and the Soviet Union after 1945. People lived in fear throughout the 1950s and 60s, and these tensions were building to a boil. After all, it could mean the world's end if either side decided to strike.
His Actions Were Against The Backdrop Of The Cuban Missile Crisis
For 13 days in October of 1962, there seemed a genuine possibility that people’s worst fears would come true, as it was well known to the United States that the Soviet Union had been building up their blockade of nuclear weapons in Cuba.
Michael, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
His Actions Were Against The Backdrop Of The Cuban Missile Crisis
As a result of these tensions, multiple Soviet submarines were deployed in international waters to monitor the United States’ military activity.
Unknown Artist, Wikimedia Commons
He Was Born To A Peasant Family Near Moscow
Arkhipov was a man of modest origins, born into a peasant family in the decade after the Russian Revolution.
Dmitry Makeev, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
He Was Born To A Peasant Family Near Moscow
He was specifically born in Staraya Kupavna, near Moscow. He was not a well-connected young man but a loyal communist and committed moralist, which served him well in later experiences.
Nickolas Titkov, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
He Fought In The Soviet-Japanese Conflict As A 19-Year Old
Arkhipov’s first combat experience was in the Soviet-Japanese conflict of August 1945, during the tail-end of World War II.
He Fought In The Soviet-Japanese Conflict As A 19-Year Old
As a very young man during his first time at war, he served aboard a Soviet minesweeper ship. Two years later, he graduated from naval school.
United States Navy, Wikimedia Commons
Two Separate Submarine Missions Defined His Career
Arkhipov served on two separate submarine missions in the early 1960s, which involved more drama than most people endure in a lifetime.
Darryl L. Baker., Wikimedia Commons
Two Separate Submarine Missions Defined His Career
These two were the K-19 submarine incident of 1961, which saw a Soviet crew have to work together to avoid nuclear meltdown, and the B-59 mission of 1962, which was a pivotal moment in human history.
He Wasn’t The Commanding Officer On Either Mission
Arkhipov wasn’t actually the captain of either submarine; rather, he served as the deputy commander, which, while high-up, still required him to report to the ship’s captains. But even though he wasn’t entrusted with commanding a submarine, he would later prove that he had the moral character to do so.
Mil.ru, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
He Suffered From Irradiation On The K-19
The mission aboard the K-19 turned into a disaster when the vessel sprang a leak. Having to tend to the broken coolant system on the submarine was essential, as doing otherwise could lead to a nuclear meltdown. This led to a variety of men having to risk radiation exposure to perform the task.
Falk2, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
He Suffered From Irradiation On The K-19
Arkhipov was one of those men who took the risk. He suffered from irradiation in the process, as did many of the other crew members. Every member of the engineering crew passed away within the next month, but he did not. His bravery was evident in this mission.
Falk2, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
His Next Great Submarine Mission Would Be The Most Pivotal In History
Television coverage of the Cuban Missile Crisis from 1962 made Americans think of missiles being pointed on the ground, but a whole other part of the conflict was brewing underwater.
Don O'Brien, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
His Next Great Submarine Mission Would Be The Most Pivotal In History
Serving as second-in-command on the diesel-electric B-59 submarine, Arkhipov’s mission was to help serve the Soviets in anticipation of America striking Cuba.
American Forces Had Arkhipov’s Submarine In Their Sights
Things did not look good for the B-59, as American forces were soon aware of its presence in the Caribbean, deciding to actively pursue it and other Soviet submarines.
American Forces Had Arkhipov’s Submarine In Their Sights
American forces were making their signal clear to the crew of the B-59 by setting off numerous explosions, basically demanding they surrender.
Cecil Stoughton, Wikimedia Commons
The Fate Of The World Came Down To A Radio
Having to submerge deeper into waters to evade American forces, the B-59 submarine eventually could not pick up radio signals, which were integral to receiving orders from Soviet higher-ups as to their next moves.
Falk2, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Fate Of The World Came Down To A Radio
With no functioning radio signals on the ship, the men aboard the submarine were unaware of what was going on in the world, including the activity of the United States. For all they knew, nukes may have been fired above the surface.
Falk2, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
It Came Down To Him To Veto Military Action
Having to give into speculation in regards to the state of the conflict, the commanding officer aboard the submarine, Captain Savitsky, pushed for launching a nuclear torpedo, just flatly assuming that war had broken out on the surface of the world.
Naval History & Heritage Command, Wikimedia Commons
It Came Down To Him To Veto Military Action
Launching a nuclear strike required the unanimous decision of three men aboard the B-59: Captain Savitsky, Political Officer Ivan Semyonovich Maslennikov, and Arkhipov. With just one vote against the strike, Arkhipov successfully overrode the two other men out of pressing fire.
The Soviets And The Americans Spoke After
Even after Arkhipov pulled off a miracle, the situation on the B-59 submarine was very dire. The battery was running low and the air conditioning was dead. Surrender was inevitable.
Unknown Artist, Wikimedia Commons
The Soviets And The Americans Spoke After
The submarine soon surfaced, and the crew had to open themselves up to interrogation from the American Navy forces. They were let free and eventually, Soviet forces caught wind of what happened and demanded they be sent home.
PH2 Paul Soutar, Wikimedia Commons
Soviet Forces Were Not Happy With The Actions Of The B-59
Despite Arkhipov’s bravery in preventing a potential nuclear holocaust, the actions aboard the B-59 were the source of much anger from Soviet forces, with one admiral flat-out admitting he wished the crew had perished.
Vyacheslav Argenberg, Wikimedia Commons
Soviet Forces Were Not Happy With The Actions Of The B-59
The reason for the anger from higher-ups was that the submarine had to surface and reveal itself to American forces directly after, breaking the strict rules of secrecy within the Soviet Navy.
Unknown Artist, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
He Continued His Service And Was Promoted
Despite anger from commanding forces, Arkhipov continued his service in the Soviet Navy, even being promoted to Rear Admiral in 1975.
RIA Novosti archive, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
He Continued His Service And Was Promoted
The promotions continued, and he reached the position of Vice Admiral in 1981. He later retired in 1988.
Mil.ru, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
He Was Notably Humble
Whatever historical documentation there is of Arkhipov, it notes what a soft-spoken and humble man he was, not at all the kind of braggart who often succeeded in the armed forces.
Dupont66, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
He Was Notably Humble
His calm personality likely played a role in saving the world on that fateful day in October of 1962, being able to talk down two men willing to start a nuclear conflict.
t.przechlewski, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
He Could Finally Rest
Despite many of his fellow crew members swiftly dying of radiation poisoning after the K-19 mission, Arkhipov lived for multiple decades after, until finally succumbing to kidney failure in 1998 at the age of 72.
Falk2, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Man Who Saved The World
Arkhipov’s legacy was secured around 2002 when Thomas S Blanton, director of the US National Security Archive, declared that Arkhipov was “the man who saved the world”.
Cecil Stoughton, Wikimedia Commons
The Man Who Saved The World
This statement meant a lot because it came from the security forces of the former Soviet Union’s greatest enemy, the United States.
Naval History & Heritage Command, Wikimedia Commons
He Was Dramatized In A Movie
Liam Neeson portrayed a character based on Arkhipov in the 2002 drama K-19 The Widowmaker. The character’s name was changed to Mikhail Polenin for the film.
First Light Production, K-19: The Widowmaker (2002)
There Was Also A PBS Documentary
K-19 The Widowmaker wasn’t the only film to feature Ahrkhipov. The bluntly titled 2012 PBS documentary The Man Who Saved The World also provided a cinematic telling of his story.
Statement Film, The Man Who Saved the World (2014)
There Was Also A PBS Documentary
The documentary was issued as part of a series centered around the 50th anniversary of The Cuban Missile Crisis.
He Posthumously Received An Award
The non-profit organization Future of Life Institute gave Arkhipov a posthumous award in 2017 for acting selflessly to protect the human race.
Artificialintelligence459, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
He Posthumously Received An Award
Awarded decades after his passing, it was collected by his descendants, ensuring that his legacy lived on.