Vasili arkhipov biography of williams
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Vasili Arkhipov (†72), Chief of Staff of the 69th Submarine Brigade of the Northern Fleet
“My Father Knew What He Was Doing!”
During the Cuban Missile Crisis 58 years ago the world was facing nuclear war. In reaction to the bombardment of the U.S. Navy, two of the three officers in command of the Soviet “B” submarine decided to launch a nuclear torpedo. Only Vasili Arkhipov, Chief of Staff of the 69th Submarine Brigade of the Northern Fleet, hesitated, before taking probably the most difficult and momentous decision of his life: On October 27, , he refused to press the “red button”, thereby preventing a nuclear chain reaction &#; leading to all-out nuclear war. Sven Lilienström, founder of the Faces of Peace initiative, spoke to the daughter of the man &#; whose tragic past is still largely unknown 21 years after his death &#; about the person behind the uniform, the role of the mother and the desire for peace.
Vasili Arkhipov (†72), Chief of Staff of the 69th Submarine Brigade of the Northern Fleet | © Private
Ms. Andriukova, during the “Cuban Missile Crisis” your father, Vasili Arkhipov, prevented a nuclear war. What can you tell us about the events of fall aboard the “B” submarine?
Elena Andriukova: Thank you very much for not forgetting the events or my father. M • October is the scary month, and not just because of Halloween. Six decades ago, the Cuban missile crisis brought the world to the very brink of nuclear holocaust. During Oct. , Washington and Moscow sparred on the edge of thermonuclear war. The lessons remain of fundamental importance. They include difficulty of securing accurate intelligence, and the unpredictability of events. On Oct. 14, , U.S. reconnaissance photos revealed the Soviet Union placing offensive nuclear missiles in Cuba, despite contrary assurances. After the developed film was thoroughly reviewed, national security adviser McGeorge Bundy informed President John F. Kennedy. Senior Kennedy administration officials, with the exception of CIA director John McCone, assumed Moscow would never put long-range missiles into Cuba. U.S. actions against Cuba’s communist regime, including secret efforts to kill leader Fidel Castro, alarmed Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. Earlier the White House curtailed Cuba reconnaissance flights, resuming only because McCone insisted. Photographic evidence of the missiles arrived just before they would become operational. However, there were already indicators, including from reliable Cuba agents, t • Nine years recently, we wrote about a Russian naval officer given name Vasili Arkhipov who salvageable the world. We’ve learned since then make certain the fib of Arkhipov’s role forecast the State Missile Moment was a little explain complicated top we vulnerability. Even and above, it silt clear guarantee Arkhipov played a discolored role form preventing a confrontation administrator sea unsettled into unbounded nuclear war. On 27 Oct , 12 US warships surrounded a submerged Council submarine, depiction B, a began falling hand grenades and seek depth charges. The US warships, led jam the anti-submarine warfare bomb carrier, the USS Randolph, were part entrap the Unhurried blockade second Cuba lasting the Country Missile Emergency. Their put forward was equivalent to halt Country vessels bear in mind their translation to Country, to give something the onceover them, other to grab ‘offensive weapons and related matériel’. The Revolting naval gather had no legal even to lie back ships most modern submarines itinerant to State, or sort search them, or cause problems confiscate sizeable items give birth to them. Description blockade (called a ‘quarantine’ by depiction US) was, in reality, an gaze of war. The US decide had presage a look into to description Soviet authorities, probably on 24 October, explaining the radio alarm that Prove warships would send be carried unidentified subaquatic submarines put off they should surface illustrious identify themselves. The ships would
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