What in human history was the most significant hour?
Without a question, the hour of October 27, 1962, was the most significant in human history—not for what occurred, but for what was prevented.
Tensions between the US and the Soviet Union reached an all-time high at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Four Soviet submarines had just left Russia and were making their way to communist Cuba through the Caribbean. American planes and battleships were on the watch for Soviet boats in the vicinity due to President Kennedy's recent blockade of Cuba. The Soviet submarine was discovered and compelled to do an emergency dive. As they were, the Americans intended to outlive the Soviets. The submarine also included a nuclear torpedo with almost the same explosive force as the atomic bombs detonated on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which the Americans were ignorant of.
The Americans eventually started to scatter depth charges the size of grenades all around the submarine. The Soviets inside thought they were being attacked because they were out of water and were sweltering in the heat. They were extremely stressed out and had been without contact with Moscow for a number of days. Captain Valentin Savitsky issued the order to fire the torpedo because he believed that nuclear war had already started .Any of the 11 US Navy ships nearby could have been the target.
However, as you might expect, it was never launched. Commander Vasili Arkhipov declined to sanction the strike during the pivotal moment in human history. His vote was required to fire the torpedo because he was one of the three senior officers on board the sub. The fact that he maintained composure in the face of the men surrounding him calling for war is what keeps each of us alive today. If Savitsky's order to fire the torpedo had been carried out, the US would have probably reacted.
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