Original subtitles

COMING UP ON "SECRETS OF THE DEAD"...

OCTOBER 1962--AMERICA AND THE SOVIET UNION,

FACE OFF IN THE WATERS BETWEEN FLORIDA AND CUBA.

EVERYBODY'S GOT A NUKE IN THEIR POCKET.

ONE SPARK WOULD SET IT OFF.

50 YEARS LATER, THE STUNNING REVELATION

THAT THE WORLD WAS CLOSER TO NUCLEAR DESTRUCTION

THAN WE KNEW.

IT COULD HAVE VERY WELL

MEANT THE END OF HUMANITY.

BUT ONE SOVIET REFUSED TO PUSH THE BUTTON.

YOU MAY BE CAPTAIN OF THIS SHIP,

BUT I AM COMMANDER OF THIS FLEET,

AND YOU NEED MY PERMISSION.

"THE MAN WHO SAVED THE WORLD."

CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY FRIENDS OF NCI

"SECRETS OF THE DEAD" WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS

TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

1962-- AMERICA AND THE SOVIET UNION,

TWO SUPERPOWERS WITH ENOUGH WEAPONRY TO DESTROY

THE WORLD 20 TIMES OVER, FACED OFF.

EVERYBODY'S GOT A NUKE IN THEIR POCKET.

ONE SPARK WOULD SET IT OFF.

THAT SPARK WOULD COME IN THE AUTUMN OF THAT YEAR.

DIVE 100 METERS.

THE WORLD HELD ITS BREATH AS 4 SOVIET SUBMARINES,

ARMED TO THE TEETH WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS,

SET OFF FOR CUBA WHILE THE U.S. ATLANTIC FLEET WENT ON THE HUNT.

WE WERE LOOKING TOWARD RUSSIA AND SEEING

A COUNTRY THAT WANTED TO DESTROY US.

I CALL UPON CHAIRMAN KHRUSHCHEV TO HALT AND ELIMINATE

THIS CLANDESTINE, RECKLESS, AND PROVOCATIVE THREAT

TO WORLD PEACE.

DURING THESE FEW DAYS, THE SURVIVAL OF THE WORLD

AS WE KNOW IT DEPENDED ON 3 INDIVIDUALS

UNDER ENORMOUS PRESSURE.

SIR!

LOAD THE SPECIAL WEAPON.

BUT JUST HOW CLOSE THE WORLD CAME

TO COMPLETE DESTRUCTION DURING THOSE DARK OCTOBER DAYS

HAS ONLY RECENTLY COME TO LIGHT.

I HAD A WRITTEN ORDER THAT I COULD RELEASE IT,

AND IF THERE WAS AN ORDER TO FIRE THE TORPEDO,

I WOULD DO IT WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT.

Different man: THE IDEA THAT A SUB COMMANDER

COULD LAUNCH WORLD WAR III WAS YET ANOTHER LAYER

OF THE ULTIMATE DANGER.

Different man: I NOW BELIEVE THAT IT COULD HAVE MEANT

THE END OF HUMANITY.

THIS IS THE STORY OF HOW ONE MAN PUSHED

THE WORLD TO THE BRINK OF DESTRUCTION

AND HOW ANOTHER SAVED US ALL FROM NUCLEAR APOCALYPSE.

IT'S BETTER THAN FICTION.

LET'S GO. COME ON. LET'S GO. COME ON.

AT A TOP-SECRET NAVAL BASE IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE,

4 SOVIET SUBMARINES PREPARE FOR A MISSION KNOWN ONLY

TO A HANDFUL OF COMMUNIST PARTY OFFICIALS.

THE MEN ON BOARD HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THEY ARE BEING SENT.

[MAN SPEAKING RUSSIAN]

WHEN WE WERE AT THE BASE,

WE WERE PREPARING FOR THE VOYAGE.

WHERE EXACTLY?

THAT KIND OF INFORMATION THEY DIDN'T TELL US,

ONLY THAT IT WOULD BE OUT AT SEA.

Narrator: THEIR ORDERS, THE COURSE OF THEIR JOURNEY,

AND THE TIMETABLE ARE CONTAINED IN AN ENVELOPE

TO BE OPENED ONLY WHEN THEY ARE OUT TO SEA.

VALENTIN SAVITSKI IS THE COMMANDER OF ONE OF THE SUBS--B-59--

AND UNTIL HE OPENS HIS ORDERS,

THE DESTINATION REMAINS A MYSTERY.

[SPEAKING RUSSIAN]

WE HAD MAPS TO ALL THE OCEANS OF THE WORLD.

WE COULD GO ANYWHERE.

WHEREVER THEY TOLD US TO GO WE WOULD ALTER THE COURSE,

AND WE'D GO THERE.

[BLOWS]

Narrator: ONE OF THE ONLY MEN WHO KNOWS ABOUT THE MISSION

IN ADVANCE IS THE CAPTAIN OF THE ENTIRE SUBMARINE FLEET.

HE WILL ALSO BE MAKING THE JOURNEY ON BOARD SUB B-59.

[WOMAN SPEAKING RUSSIAN]

MY HUSBAND WAS A VERY SHY AND MODEST PERSON,

INTELLIGENT AND SMART, VERY POLITE.

WHEN WE USED TO GO ON HOLIDAY, WHEREVER HE WAS,

HE WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO FIND FRESH NEWSPAPERS.

HE WAS ALWAYS IN TOUCH WITH THE MODERN WORLD.

HIS CHARACTER WAS VERY KIND AND CALM.

HE WAS A REAL HUMAN BEING.

Narrator: AND LIKE MANY SUBMARINERS,

HE HAS HIS OWN RITUALS.

Arkhipova: WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER TO CALL IT A SUPERSTITION,

BUT ONE DAY WHEN I CAME HOME,

THERE WAS THE SMELL OF PAPER.

I ASKED WHAT WAS GOING ON.

DID SOMETHING BURN IN THE HOUSE?

"NO," HE REPLIED. "I'VE JUST BURNED ALL OUR LETTERS."

"WHY?" I ASKED WITH TEARS IN MY EYES.

HE REPLIED THAT "IF YOU KEEP THE LETTERS,

THEN THAT IS BAD LUCK."

Narrator: AND LUCK IS SOMETHING VASILI ARKHIPOV WILL RELY ON.

HE WILL BE PART OF AN OPERATION

THAT WILL BRING THE WORLD TO THE VERY BRINK

OF COMPLETE AND UTTER DESTRUCTION.

BY THE AUTUMN OF 1962, RELATIONS BETWEEN MOSCOW

AND WASHINGTON HAVE ALL BUT COLLAPSED.

THE COMMUNIST EAST AND CAPITALIST WEST

STAND TOE TO TOE.

Man: THE COMMIES WERE BAD GUYS, WE ALL KNEW THAT,

AND WE WERE THE GOOD GUYS.

WE WORE WHITE HATS, AND THEY WORE BLACK HATS.

Man: THEY WERE THE ENEMY.

EVERYONE IN AMERICA HAD NO LOVE LOST

FOR THE SOVIET UNION,

AND WE DIDN'T TRUST THEM, AND WE WERE FEARFUL.

WE WERE LOOKING TOWARD RUSSIA AND SEEING A COUNTRY

THAT WANTED TO DESTROY US,

AND IT WAS OUR DUTY TO MAKE SURE THEY DIDN'T PREVAIL.

Man: THE AMERICANS FOR THE FIRST TIME FELT VULNERABLE.

AND YOU HAD THE BEGINNING OF THE BACKYARD BOMB SHELTER CRAZE,

WHERE PEOPLE IN THE LEAFY SUBURBS

OF WASHINGTON, D.C., WERE BUILDING BOMB SHELTERS

BACK IN THEIR BACKYARD, STOCKING IT WITH CANNED GOODS,

AND THEY WERE TEACHING SCHOOL KIDS HOW TO

DUCK AND COVER UNDER THEIR DESKS.

THERE WAS A LEVEL OF PARANOIA.

Narrator: KENNEDY'S ADMINISTRATION HAS STATIONED

MISSILE ARRAYS IN TURKEY AND ITALY THAT ARE CAPABLE

OF DESTROYING THE PEOPLE OF MOSCOW IN 16 MINUTES.

[ARKHIPOVA SPEAKING RUSSIAN]

WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT AMERICA HAD BUILT ROCKET LAUNCHERS

AGAINST US, THAT WASN'T A PLEASANT THING TO KNOW.

OUR COUNTRY WASN'T PREPARING FOR ANY WARS.

IT WAS ALWAYS EVERYONE ELSE WHO WAS ATTACKING US.

Narrator: ADDING TO THE TENSION IS THE REVOLUTION IN CUBA.

CASTRO'S TAKEOVER MEANS THAT A REGIME SYMPATHETIC

TO RUSSIA NOW STANDS AT AMERICA'S DOORSTEP.

Blanton: I THINK THE CUBAN REVOLUTION WAS

THE FIRST GENUINE COMMUNIST REVOLUTION

THAT DIDN'T COME FROM STALIN'S TANKS DOING A TAKEOVER.

SO THE OLD COMMIES IN MOSCOW LOOKED

AT THE YOUNG COMMIES IN CUBA AND SAID,

"YEAH. RIGHT! THE NEW GENERATION!

THIS IS GREAT!"

Narrator: THROUGHOUT 1962, THE SOVIET UNION SECRETLY

SMUGGLED 42 MID-RANGE NUCLEAR MISSILES

INTO CASTRO'S CUBA USING COMMERCIAL SHIPPING...

BUT WITH NO PROOF, THE AMERICANS CAN ONLY

AIR THEIR SUSPICIONS AT A U.N. MEETING.

DO YOU, AMBASSADOR ZORIN, DENY THAT THE U.S.S.R.

HAS PLACED AND IS PLACING

MEDIUM- AND INTERMEDIATE-RANGE MISSILES AND SITES IN CUBA?

YES OR NO.

[LAUGHTER]

Translator: YOU WILL HAVE YOUR ANSWER IN DUE COURSE.

I AM PREPARED TO WAIT FOR MY ANSWER UNTIL HELL FREEZES OVER

IF THAT'S YOUR DECISION.

Man: "IF YOU HAVE YOUR MISSILES IN TURKEY,

WE HAVE OUR MISSILE IN CUBA," AND THAT WAS THE GAME.

Narrator: THE CUBAN MISSILES MEAN THE SOVIETS CAN NOW

ANNIHILATE LOS ANGELES, WASHINGTON, AND NEW YORK

WITHIN JUST 30 MINUTES,

AND RUSSIA DOES NOT INTEND TO STOP THERE.

AS PART OF THE NEXT STAGE OF MILITARIZING CUBA,

THE 4 SUBS SLIP THEIR ANCHORS

AND LEAVE RUSSIAN WATERS...

BUT WHAT ONLY A HANDFUL OF THE SUBMARINERS ABOARD KNOW

IS THAT EACH SUB CARRIES A TOP-SECRET CARGO.

EXCEPT FOR THE WEAPON OFFICERS AND COMMANDERS,

NOBODY ELSE WAS ALLOWED TO GO IN THERE.

THE COMMANDER, SECOND IN COMMAND, SPECIAL OFFICER.

NOBODY ELSE WAS ALLOWED IN THIS ROOM.

Narrator: THE SPECIAL CARGO IN EACH OF THE SUBS

IS A SINGLE NUCLEAR TORPEDO OF EXTRAORDINARY POWER,

WEAPONS WITH THE SAME STRENGTH AS THE BOMB

DROPPED ON HIROSHIMA.

Mikhailov: AT THAT PERIOD OF TIME, IT WAS CALLED "SPECIAL WEAPON,"

NOT "NUCLEAR TORPEDO," BUT "SPECIAL WEAPON."

AT THAT TIME, WE COULDN'T EVEN IMAGINE

A NUCLEAR TORPEDO.

Narrator: THE COMMANDER OF EACH OF THE 4 SUBMARINES

HAS PERMISSION TO ACT WITHOUT MOSCOW'S ORDER.

RYURIK KETOV WAS COMMANDER OF ONE OF THE OTHER SUBS.

Ketov: I HAD A WRITTEN ORDER THAT I COULD RELEASE IT,

AND IF THERE WAS AN ORDER TO FIRE THE TORPEDO,

I WOULD DO IT WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN LIFE, A COMMANDER OF A SUBMARINE

HAD A NUCLEAR WEAPON AND HAD THE AUTHORITY

TO FIRE THE MISSILE ON HIS COMMAND.

Narrator: EACH SUB MUST FOLLOW A STRICT SAFETY PROTOCOL.

GOOD. MASSLENIKOV, YOUR KEY.

Narrator: THE NUCLEAR TORPEDO CAN ONLY BE LAUNCHED

IF BOTH THE SUB'S CAPTAIN AND ITS POLITICAL OFFICER ARE IN AGREEMENT.

EACH HAS ONE HALF OF A KEY THAT WHEN JOINED

WILL UNLOCK THE FIRING MECHANISM.

[BUZZING]

A SIGNAL IS THEN TRANSMITTED TO THE TORPEDO BAY.

ALL CORRECT, SIR.

Narrator: ON THIS VOYAGE, THE B-59 REQUIRES

AN ADDITIONAL STEP.

VASILI ARKHIPOV, THE HEAD OF THE FLEET,

HAS THE POWER OF VETO.

THANK YOU.

Narrator: IF THESE 3 MEN AGREE, THEY CAN UNLEASH ARMAGEDDON.

THE WORLD WAS PROTECTED ONLY BY THE POLICY

OF MUTUALLY ASSURED DESTRUCTION,

A DETERRENT MEANT TO SCARE RUSSIA AND AMERICA

FROM FIRING ON ONE ANOTHER.

Slaughter: IT MEANS THAT IF WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY

OF WIPING OUT EVERY MEANINGFUL TARGET IN THE SOVIET UNION

AND THEY HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF WIPING OUT

ANY EVERY MEANINGFUL TARGET IN OUR COUNTRY,

THAT WE BOTH LAUNCHED OUR MISSILES AT THE SAME TIME

AND BOTH COUNTRIES ARE DESTROYED.

ONE SINGLE SOVIET NUCLEAR TORPEDO

WOULD TRIGGER A RESPONSE FROM THE AMERICANS LEADING

TO A CASCADE OF DESTRUCTION.

THE ANSWER TO THE FIST WAS TO HOLD OUR OWN FIST.

THAT'S HOW IT WAS.

EVERYBODY'S GOT A NUKE IN THEIR POCKET.

ONE SPARK WOULD SET IT OFF.

Narrator: 50 MILES FROM PORT, EACH COMMANDER IS INSTRUCTED

TO READ HIS ORDERS.

COMRADES.

WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO TAKE PART

IN A SPECIAL MISSION FOR THE SOVIET UNION.

THE 69th BRIGADE OF LONG-RANGE DIESEL ATTACK SUBMARINES

WILL MAKE BEST SPEED AND REMAIN UNDETECTED

AS WE TRANSIT ACROSS THE ATLANTIC

AND THEN BE PERMANENTLY STATIONED IN MARIEL, CUBA.

Narrator: UNDER THEIR ORDERS, THE SUBMARINERS WILL TRAVEL

7,000 MILES FROM THE SAFETY OF THE ARCTIC OCEAN,

PAST SCANDINAVIA AND ICELAND,

SOUTH INTO THE CARIBBEAN, WHERE THEY WILL REINFORCE

THE SECRET SOVIET FORCES IN CUBA...

ONLY 90 MILES FROM MAINLAND AMERICA.

THE PLAN IS FOR THESE 4 SUBMARINES TO SERVE AS

THE VANGUARD OF A SOVIET FORCE THAT WILL MAKE CUBA

ONE OF THE MOST MILITARIZED PLACES ON EARTH.

OF COURSE IF I KNEW HE WAS GOING THERE, TO CUBA,

I'D BE A HUNDRED TIMES MORE WORRIED.

THIS IS A MOST IMPORTANT MISSION ASSIGNED

BY THE PARTY AND THE GOVERNMENT.

I AM SURE WE WILL ACCOMPLISH IT.

I RELY UPON YOU.

Narrator: BUT GETTING TO CUBA IS A JOURNEY FRAUGHT

WITH DIFFICULTY AND CONSTANT DANGER OF DETECTION.

HUNTING THEM WILL BE THE MOST ADVANCED FLEET

OF AMERICAN SUB HUNTERS...

DESTROYERS, HELICOPTERS, SURVEILLANCE PLANES

ALL ARMED WITH THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY.

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER GARY SLAUGHTER WAS ON THE U.S.S. CONY.

Slaughter, voice-over: STARTING IN 1952, AMERICA HAD INVESTED

BILLIONS, MAYBE TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN BEEFING UP

ITS ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE CAPABILITY,

AND THE ONLY ENEMY THAT WE WERE TRYING TO SUPPRESS AND CONFRONT

AND DEFEAT WAS THE SOVIET UNION.

WE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN BETTER PREPARED

FOR THEIR DECISION TO BRING THOSE SUBMARINES TO CUBA.

TWO WEEKS AFTER LEAVING HOME, THE 4 RUSSIAN SUBS

SAFELY REACH THE MID-ATLANTIC WITHOUT INCIDENT.

THEY HAVE MADE IT MORE THAN HALFWAY TO CUBA

UNDETECTED AND WITHOUT AROUSING THE SUSPICIONS OF THE AMERICANS.

JOHN STOESSINGER, AN ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT KENNEDY,

WITNESSED THE GOVERNMENT'S INNER WORKINGS

DURING THE CRISIS

AND WAS THERE WHEN U-2 SPY PLANES RETURNED

WITH PHOTOGRAPHIC PROOF THAT THE SOVIETS

HAD SMUGGLED MISSILES INTO CUBA.

Stoessinger: THEY BEGAN TO SWEAR AND CUSS

BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW A THING ABOUT IT,

AND QUITE FRANKLY, THEY SWORE LIKE A BUNCH OF UNHAPPY TRUCK DRIVERS.

THAT'S THE LANGUAGE THEY USED.

Narrator: THE AMERICANS NOW HAVE CONCRETE PROOF

THAT SOVIET MISSILES COULD BE LAUNCHED FROM CUBA.

Stoessinger: MOST AMERICANS WERE OUTRAGED

BUT ALSO VERY FRIGHTENED.

VERY FRIGHTENED.

Narrator: ON OCTOBER 14, THE WEATHER STARTS TO CHANGE.

HURRICANE ELLA BEGINS FORMING IN THE CARIBBEAN.

IT WILL BE THE BIGGEST STORM OF THE SEASON.

[KETOV SPEAKING RUSSIAN]

AT THAT MOMENT, THE ATLANTIC WAS VERY DISTURBED,

A STORM AFTER A STORM.

THE WAVES WERE GOING UP TO 5-7 METERS,

AND THE WIND WAS MAKING IT EVEN WORSE,

BUT THE SHIP SITS LOW IN THE WATER,

UP TO 5 METERS HIGH,

AND IT WAS COMPLETELY COVERED BY THE WAVES.

WE WERE GOING THROUGH WITH THE HATCH CLOSED

BECAUSE IF YOU OPEN IT, THE WATER WILL GET IN IMMEDIATELY.

Narrator: THE LOW CLOUD COVER MEANS AMERICAN SPOTTER PLANES

ARE GROUNDED.

FOR US PERFECT WEATHER IS WHEN THERE ARE WAVES,

WHEN THERE'S A STORM.

THESE CONDITIONS ARE IDEAL.

Narrator: BUT THE CONDITIONS INSIDE THE SUBMARINES

ARE APPALLING.

[MIKHAILOV SPEAKING RUSSIAN]

DURING THIS STORM, WE JUST COULDN'T STAND ON OUR FEET.

IN CONDITIONS LIKE THIS, YOU HAVE TO PUT YOUR LEGS

AGAINST THE BULKHEAD AND KEEP YOUR BACK PRESSED

AGAINST THE FITTINGS JUST TO KEEP YOURSELF STABLE.

OTHERWISE THE WAVES CAN SWING THE SHIP AROUND,

AND YOU CAN BREAK YOUR HEAD OR DAMAGE SOMETHING.

Narrator: THERE IS NO RADIO CONTACT FROM MOSCOW.

WHILE NEGOTIATIONS HAVE STARTED AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL,

NOTHING IS PASSED ON TO THE 4 SUBMARINES.

[STATIC CRACKLING]

IT IS AS IF THEY HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN.

[STATIC]

AND THEN ON THE 15th OF OCTOBER,

NAVAL COMMAND IN MOSCOW FINALLY MAKES CONTACT.

SIR.

DISMISSED.

Narrator: IT SEEMS MOSCOW IS CHANGING THE MISSION.

COMRADES, WE HAVE JUST RECEIVED WORD FROM MOSCOW,

SOME NEW ORDERS.

WE ARE TO BE STATIONED IN THE SARGASSO SEA

UNTIL ADVISED OTHERWISE.

Narrator: A LITTLE MORE THAN TWO WEEKS AFTER LEAVING MOTHER RUSSIA,

THE 4 SUBMARINES ARE ORDERED TO HOLD

THEIR POSITION IN THE SARGASSO SEA

AND WAIT FOR INSTRUCTIONS,

BUT MORE TIME AT SEA MEANS MORE CHANCES

FOR THE AMERICANS TO FIND THEM.

A THOUSAND MILES AWAY FROM CUBA, KENNEDY DECIDES

TO SPEAK TO THE NATION ABOUT THE DISCOVERY

OF SOVIET MISSILE BASES.

IT SHALL BE THE POLICY OF THIS NATION TO REGARD

ANY NUCLEAR MISSILE LAUNCHED FROM CUBA AGAINST ANY NATION

IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE AS AN ATTACK

BY THE SOVIET UNION ON THE UNITED STATES

REQUIRING A FULL RETALIATORY RESPONSE UPON THE SOVIET UNION.

OUR GOAL IS...

Stoessinger: SO FAR EVERYTHING HAD BEEN KEPT SECRET,

BUT GOING PUBLIC MEANT THAT THE WHOLE COUNTRY

WOULD KNOW ABOUT IT

BUT ALSO PRIME MINISTER KHRUSHCHEV

WOULD KNOW ABOUT IT.

Slaughter: I PATCHED IT THROUGH THE PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM

ALL THROUGH THE SHIP, AND IT WAS SOBERING.

I CALL UPON CHAIRMAN KHRUSHCHEV TO HALT AND ELIMINATE

THIS CLANDESTINE, RECKLESS, AND PROVOCATIVE THREAT

TO WORLD PEACE

AND TO STABLE RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR TWO NATIONS.

I CALL UPON HIM FURTHER...

Narrator: KENNEDY ANNOUNCES THAT GOING FORWARD

CUBA WILL BE UNDER QUARANTINE.

Stoessinger: "WE SHOULD NOT CALL IT A BLOCKADE,"

THE PRESIDENT SAID.

"WE SHOULD CALL IT A QUARANTINE."

AND SOMEBODY SHOUTED, "WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE, MR. PRESIDENT?"

"IT SOUNDS BETTER," PRESIDENT KENNEDY SAID.

"IT DOES NOT SOUND AS THREATENING AS A BLOCKADE,

AND THAT IS A GOOD THING."

Slaughter: WE KNEW THAT THIS WAS THE REAL THING,

THAT THIS WAS NOT AN EXERCISE,

AND SO OUR ATTITUDES CHANGED,

WE BECAME MORE DETERMINED, MORE PROFESSIONAL, WE FOCUSED,

AND WE WENT TO OUR STATIONS READY FOR ACTION.

Narrator: KENNEDY ORDERS A RING OF SHIPS TO SURROUND CUBA

AND THE CARIBBEAN AND STOP THE FLOW

OF ANY MORE SOVIET WEAPONRY.

NEWS THAT THE SOVIETS SMUGGLED NUCLEAR WEAPONS

INTO CUBA EXPLODES ACROSS THE NATION.

I'D HATE LIKE HECK TO SEE US GO TO WAR,

BUT IF IT'S NECESSARY TO PREVENT A NUCLEAR WAR,

I THINK THE ACTION HAS TO BE TAKEN AT THIS TIME.

WELL, I THINK IT'S HIGH TIME

WE STOPPED RUSSIA FROM HAVING THINGS HER OWN WAY.

I KNOW THAT SOME ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN...

Blanton: AND AT THE TIME, I WAS A SCHOOL KID

IN THIRD GRADE IN ELLISVILLE, MISSISSIPPI.

THEY HAD ME GO UNDER MY DESK MULTIPLE TIMES

THAT WEEK IN OCTOBER 1962

BECAUSE WE WERE WITHIN RANGE

OF THOSE MEDIUM-RANGE MISSILES FROM CUBA.

Narrator: BUT THE RISING TENSIONS ARE NOT REPORTED IN RUSSIA.

LIFE CONTINUES AS NORMAL.

OCTOBER 22, 1962.

KENNEDY INCREASES AMERICA'S DEFENSE READINESS CONDITION

FROM 4 TO DEFCON 3 FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY.

22 INTERCEPTOR AIRCRAFT ARE ORDERED TO PATROL THE SEA.

WE NEVER UNDERESTIMATED THE RUSSIANS.

WE ALWAYS ASSUMED THAT THEY WERE STRONG AS WE WERE

AND IT WAS OUR JOB TO OUTWIT THEM, TO OUTTRAIN THEM.

IT WOULD BE LIKE TWO PRIZE FIGHTERS KNOWING

THAT NOMINALLY THEY HAD THE SAME CAPABILITIES

TO KNOCK THE OTHER GUY OUT.

Narrator: BELOW THE WAVES, THE CREW OF B-59 HAS BEEN AWAY

FROM HOME FOR 3 1/2 WEEKS...

AND THEY ARE FEELING MORE AND MORE ISOLATED

AND CUT OFF FROM MOSCOW.

RADIO OPERATOR VADIM ORLOV WOULD LATER DESCRIBE

THE SITUATION TO TOM BLANTON

AT THE U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVES.

Blanton: THEY WEREN'T GETTING COMMUNICATIONS FROM MOSCOW.

THEY WERE LISTENING TO MIAMI RADIO STATIONS.

Man on radio: THE "WASHINGTON POST" SAYS THIS MORNING

THAT RUSSIAN MILITARY ATTACHÉS AT A SOVIET EMBASSY RECEPTION...

ON MIAMI RADIO, THE STORIES ARE ABOUT IMPENDING

U.S. INVASION OF CUBA.

ON MIAMI RADIO IT'S DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FLOTILLA OFFSHORE,

IT'S DESCRIPTIONS OF TOTAL MOBILIZATION.

[SONAR PINGING]

Man on radio: NBC RADIO NEWS ON THE HOUR,

BROUGHT TO YOU BY TOTAL.

Narrator: AMERICAN RADIO EVEN SPECULATES

THAT THERE MIGHT BE ENEMY SUBMARINE ACTIVITY IN THE AREA.

Ketov: WE COULD NOT GET ANY CONTACT WITH MOSCOW,

AND WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON.

EVERYTHING I KNEW AND EVERYTHING I DID

WAS BY LISTENING TO KENNEDY ON THE RADIO.

KEEP LISTENING.

[RADIO CHATTER]

Narrator: WHILE THE LACK OF CONTACT WITH MOSCOW

IS A PROBLEM,

THE MEN ARE FACING A MORE SERIOUS RISK.

A PREVIOUS DISASTER ABOARD ANOTHER SUBMARINE

HAS MADE THE CHANCES OF DISCOVERY MUCH GREATER.

A YEAR BEFORE, A NUCLEAR REACTOR ON BOARD

THE SUB K-19, ONE OF THE FIRST RUSSIAN NUCLEAR SUBS,

FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY.

8 MEN DIED FROM RADIATION POISONING

AS THEY TRIED TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

VASILI ARKHIPOV WAS ABOARD THE K-19

AND WITNESSED THE DISASTER.

[ARKHIPOVA SPEAKING RUSSIAN]

HE MUST HAVE REALLY FELT IT.

HE HAD SEEN WHAT RADIATION HAD DONE TO PEOPLE.

HE HAD SEEN IT WITH HIS OWN EYES

WHEN SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO'D BEEN

IN THE NUCLEAR REACTOR WERE CARRIED OUT.

IT WAS A TRAGEDY, A REAL TRAGEDY.

THIS TRAGEDY WAS THE REASON THAT WE WOULD SAY NO

TO NUCLEAR WAR.

Narrator: FOLLOWING THE K-19 DISASTER,

THE SOVIET NAVY MOTHBALLED THEIR NUCLEAR SUBS.

THE ONLY SUBS NOW AVAILABLE FOR THIS MISSION

ARE DIESEL ELECTRICS,

AND DIESEL ELECTRICS MUST SURFACE

TO CHARGE THEIR BATTERIES.

BATTERIES ARE DOWN TO 20%.

BEGIN PREPARATIONS TO SURFACE.

Narrator: BUT DESPITE THE SHORTCOMINGS

OF THEIR EQUIPMENT, THE CAPTAINS OF THE SOVIET SUBS

HAVE ONE TRICK UP THEIR SLEEVES.

THEY CAN PERFORM MAGIC...

AND MAKE A 330-FOOT STEEL HULK JUST DISAPPEAR.

THE OCEANS ARE NATURALLY BROKEN DOWN INTO LAYERS

OF DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES,

AND THESE DIFFERENT LAYERS BREAK UP THE SPEED OF SONAR WAVES,

MAKING SUBMARINES IMPOSSIBLE TO TRACK.

Bradick: THE OCEAN IS NEVER CONSISTENT IN ITS TEMPERATURE.

IF YOU TOOK A THERMOMETER AND YOU AND YOU SWAM DOWN

TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA,

AS YOU WOULD GO DOWN, YOU WOULD NOTICE

THAT THE TEMPERATURE CHANGES.

THESE ARE KNOWN AS ISOTHERMAL LAYERS,

AND DIVING UNDERNEATH ONE MAKES A SUB HARDER TO TRACK.

DIVE 100 METERS.

Slaughter: AS ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE HUNTERS,

WE WERE ALWAYS FOCUSED ON THE THERMAL CONDITIONS OF THE WATER.

Narrator: A COOL LAYER OF WATER HAS A DIFFERENT DENSITY

THAN A WARMER LAYER.

A SONAR PING LITERALLY BOUNCES OFF THE LINE

BETWEEN THE TWO.

Slaughter: IT'S THE MOST DIFFICULT THING TO DEAL WITH

WHEN YOU'RE IN THE ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE BUSINESS.

IF A SUBMARINE CAN GET BELOW THAT THERMAL LAYER,

THEY'RE BETTER OFF HIDING UNDER THERE.

Narrator: 85% OF THE ENTIRE ATLANTIC FLEET

IS NOW ON THE HUNT FOR ANY VESSEL

THAT MIGHT ATTEMPT TO BREAK KENNEDY'S BLOCKADE.

[SPEAKING RUSSIAN]

KHRUSHCHEV COUNTERS KENNEDY'S QUARANTINE WITH THE THREAT

THAT STOPPING AND SEARCHING OF ANY RUSSIAN SHIP

WILL BE CONSIDERED AN ACT OF PIRACY.

40 DESTROYERS, 4 AIRCRAFT CARRIERS,

AND 358 AIRCRAFT ARE NOW EFFECTIVELY HUNTING

FOR ANY SOVIET VESSEL THAT MIGHT BE SMUGGLING WEAPONS.

IT HAS BECOME THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME

OF CAT AND MOUSE IN HISTORY.

ON OCTOBER 24, KENNEDY PUSHES AMERICA'S

WAR READINESS ALERT UP TO DEFCON 2.

ACCORDING TO THESE RATINGS, THE NEXT STOP IS NUCLEAR WAR.

ON BOARD THE SUB, THE TIME SPENT IN THE WARMER WATERS

OF THE SARGASSO SEA HAS CAUSED CONDITIONS

TO DETERIORATE EVEN FURTHER.

THE AIR CONDITIONING HAS FAILED, AND TEMPERATURES ARE RISING.

Ketov: THE TEMPERATURE WENT UP TO 60-65 DEGREES.

IN THE DIESEL SECTION, IT WAS OVER 70 DEGREES,

AND IT WASN'T JUST FOR 5 OR 10 MINUTES.

IT WAS FOR HOURS.

ALL THE TIME THE CREW WERE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS.

Narrator: RUSSIA'S DIESEL ELECTRIC FLEET

IS DESIGNED TO FUNCTION IN THE COLD ARCTIC SEAS,

TEMPERATURES OF 37 DEGREES.

THE WATER TEMPERATURE IN THE SARGASSO SEA IS IN THE MID-80s.

THE SUBS ARE BEGINNING TO OVERHEAT.

THE COOLEST PART OF THE SUB IS AT EACH END

BY THE TORPEDO PODS.

THERE IT IS ONLY AROUND 110 DEGREES.

CREW MEMBERS ARE ALLOWED THERE FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME.

Bradick: WHEN I WAS IN ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE SCHOOL,

IT WAS THE ONLY TIME I WAS ON BOARD

A DIESEL-POWERED SUBMARINE

FOR A PERIOD OF JUST A DAY,

AND IT WAS AWFUL--

THE STINK OF DIESEL OIL AND THE SMELL

OF ACID FROM THE BATTERIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT,

AND WE WERE OUT JUST FOR THE DAY,

AND IT WAS QUITE ENOUGH FOR ME, THANK YOU.

Narrator: RATIONS ARE DIMINISHING.

EACH MAN IS LIMITED TO A SINGLE GLASS OF WATER PER DAY.

THE RADIO OPERATOR OF B-59 VADIM ORLOV

TOLD HIS STORY TO THE U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVE

IN THE YEARS BEFORE HIS DEATH.

ORLOV WAS DESCRIBING TERRIBLE CONDITIONS ON THESE SUBMARINES.

THEY WERE NOT MADE FOR WARM WATERS,

AND THEY WERE TERRIBLE EQUIPMENT

THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED,

AND IT WAS A HEIGHT OF RECKLESSNESS

TO SEND THIS EQUIPMENT OFF WITH NUCLEAR CAPACITY.

Ketov: WHAT MAN IN HIS RIGHT MIND WOULD SEND

A DIESEL SUBMARINE ON THAT KIND OF MISSION?

ONLY A MADMAN, ONLY SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW

THE SITUATION AT ALL.

Narrator: AND STILL A WEEK AFTER ARRIVING

IN THE SARGASSO SEA, B-59 HAS NOT RECEIVED

ANY NEW ORDERS FROM MOSCOW.

THE DAILY ROUTINE CONSISTS OF STAYING HIDDEN

FROM AMERICAN SUB HUNTERS.

[SONAR PINGS]

[STATIC CRACKLING]

[AIRPLANE FLYING]

PLANE OVERHEAD! PLANE OVERHEAD!

CRASH DIVE! CRASH DIVE! CRASH DIVE!

HOW MUCH CHARGE?

BARELY 5%.

[ALARM BLARING]

THAT'S ONLY 6 HOURS.

BATTERY ROOM, CAN YOU CONFIRM THE CHARGE?

THE CHARGE!

[SPEAKING RUSSIAN]

EMERGENCY DIVE IF YOU ARE SURFACED

TAKES ABOUT 30 SECONDS.

PART OF THE SHIP TAKES ON WATER,

AND THE SHIP PRACTICALLY SINKS LIKE A ROCK

TILL A CERTAIN DEPTH.

Narrator: WITH SPOTTER PLANES OVERHEAD, B-59 IS FORCED

TO DIVE WITH ONLY ENOUGH CHARGE IN ITS BATTERIES

TO STAY HIDDEN FOR 6 HOURS.

IS IT STILL IN RANGE?

THAT'S WHY THE SITUATION WAS GETTING HARDER,

AND WE COULDN'T CHARGE OUR BATTERIES ANYMORE.

Narrator: THE SAILORS ON B-59 HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER

THEIR COVER HAS BEEN BLOWN,

BUT BACK IN WASHINGTON, COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS EXPLODE INTO LIFE.

THE SUB HAS BEEN SPOTTED.

Slaughter: WE HAD SO MANY WEAPONS AND SO MANY SONARS.

HE WAS LIKE A RABBIT INSIDE A SMALL CAGE,

AND 15 OF US HOUNDS OUTSIDE THE CAGE

AND 15 HAWKS ABOVE THE CAGE.

THAT RABBIT WAS DEAD.

Narrator: THE U.S. FLEET IS TRYING TO GET A LOCK ON THE SUB.

SONAR BUOYS, LISTENING DEVICES,

ARE THROWN INTO THE SEA,

AND THE TEMPERATURE OF THE ATLANTIC

IS CONTINUALLY ANALYZED.

WITH THE WEATHER SETTLING DOWN,

THE OCEAN HAS BECOME A STABLE, SINGLE BODY OF WATER

WITH NO ISOTHERMAL LAYERS.

THE SOVIETS' INVISIBILITY CLOAK

HAS STARTED TO FAIL THEM.

Bradick: OUR EQUIPMENT WAS WORKING PERFECTLY,

MY SAILORS WERE DOING A MARVELOUS JOB

OF TRACKING THIS GUY.

THE WATER CONDITIONS WERE GOOD,

SO BY THE END OF TWO HOURS, WE REALLY KNEW WE HAD HIM.

WHILE THE PRESSURE ON THE RUSSIAN SUBMARINERS INTENSIFIES,

THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GO VERY WRONG FOR THE AMERICANS.

Stoessinger: I REMEMBER SEEING AN AIDE COME IN TO THE OVAL OFFICE,

AND THE AIDE WHISPERED INTO THE PRESIDENT'S EAR,

AND THEN HE DREW HIMSELF UP TO HIS FULL HEIGHT,

AND SAID, THE PRESIDENT SAID, "WE'VE HAD A CASUALTY."

Narrator: FLYING AT 70,000 FEET OVER CUBA, A SPY PLANE IS SHOT DOWN,

KILLING THE PILOT.

Stoessinger: PRESIDENT KENNEDY TURNED VISIBLY WHITE.

HE GOT PALE.

IT WAS AN ACT OF WAR.

Man: WAS SHOT DOWN OVER BANES,

WHICH IS RIGHT NEAR A U-2 SITE,

IN EASTERN CUBA.

Narrator: THE MISSILE FIRED IS ONE OF THOSE

SECRETLY SUPPLIED TO CASTRO BY THE SOVIETS.

Kennedy: WELL, THIS IS MUCH OF AN ESCALATION BY THEM, ISN'T IT?

Narrator: MAJOR RUDOLF ANDERSON IS THE FIRST PERSON TO DIE

IN THE CONFLICT.

ALL-OUT WAR IS NOW A STEP CLOSER.

THE U.S.S. CONY CONTINUES SCOURING THE SEAS.

WE GOT OUR SOLID CONTACT AT ROUGHLY 4:00 OR 5:00 IN THE AFTERNOON.

Narrator: AMERICAN RECONNAISSANCE REVEALS

THE POSSIBLE PRESENCE OF 3 ENEMY SUBS.

WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW IS THAT THEIR TARGETS

CARRY ENOUGH NUCLEAR WEAPONRY TO DESTROY

THE ENTIRE ATLANTIC FLEET.

Slaughter: WE WERE ALL EXHILARATED,

THERE WAS NO FEAR, WE KNEW OUR JOBS,

AND WE WERE JUST KIND OF RUBBING OUR HANDS,

SAYING, "GOD, WE AT LAST GET A CHANCE TO PLAY WHAT

WE'VE BEEN PRACTICING TO DO FOR ALL THESE YEARS,"

AND THAT'S WHAT IF FELT LIKE.

WE FELT PRIVILEGED TO BE ABLE TO SHOW OUR STUFF.

Bradick: NO SUBMARINER LIKES TO BE DETECTED PERIOD.

THEIR BUSINESS IS STEALTH.

WHEN YOU FOUND THEM, THEY DIDN'T LIKE IT.

THEY DON'T LIKE THAT.

Narrator: AS THE MEN OF B-59 SUFFER IN THE HEAT,

THE SUB HAS LITTLE POWER TO ESCAPE

THE WORLD'S MOST ADVANCED NAVAL FLEET.

Bradick: HUNT TO EXHAUSTION.

YOU WOULD KEEP CONTACT ON THE SUBMARINE

UNTIL HE HAD TO SURFACE BECAUSE HIS BATTERIES ARE GOING FLAT.

SO WHEN HIS BATTERIES WERE EXHAUSTED,

HE HAD TO COME TO THE SURFACE AND RECHARGE HIS BATTERIES.

Slaughter: FRANKLY I DON'T THINK WE FELT

VERY SYMPATHETIC AT ALL.

THEY WERE THE ENEMY.

Narrator: KENNEDY HAS ALREADY ORDERED

STRICT PROTOCOL UPON FINDING AN ENEMY SUB.

ON NO ACCOUNT SHOULD IT BE ATTACKED.

RATHER THEY SHOULD DRIVE IT TO THE SURFACE.

Man: HERE IS THE EXACT SITUATION.

WE HAVE DEPTH CHARGES THAT HAVE SUCH A SMALL CHARGE

THAT THEY CAN BE DROPPED AND THEY CAN ACTUALLY HIT

THE SUBMARINE WITHOUT DAMAGING THE SUBMARINE.

THEY'RE PRACTICE DEPTH CHARGES.

Kennedy: THINK WE OUGHT TO WAIT ON THAT TODAY.

WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THE FIRST THING WE ATTACK

AS A SOVIET SUBMARINE.

Narrator: KENNEDY SENDS A MESSAGE TO MOSCOW.

HIS NAVY WILL NOW ATTEMPT TO SURFACE A SOVIET SUB,

BUT KENNEDY DOESN'T HAVE THE WHOLE STORY.

MOSCOW HAS HAD NO CONTACT WITH HER SUBS.

Ketov: WE COULD ONLY GUESS WHAT WAS GOING ON BY WATCHING

WHAT THE AMERICANS WERE DOING.

ONLY BY WHAT WE SAW COULD WE JUDGE WHAT WAS GOING ON.

IS THERE A WAR? WHAT'S HAPPENING?

Narrator: THE SUB HUNTERS HAVE SONAR DEVICES CAPABLE

OF GENERATING EXTREME, LOCALIZED SOUNDS.

[LOUD CLANG]

Bradick: THE SONAR ITSELF IS LIKE A BIG SPEAKER

LIKE YOU HAVE IN YOUR HOUSE.

[CLANG, FEEDBACK]

Slaughter: OUR SONAR COULD ESSENTIALLY BE USED

AS AN OFFENSIVE WEAPON.

[CLANG]

IT WAS LIKE THERE ARE 5 HUGE MEN POUNDING ON THE BARREL,

AND EVERY DESTROYER IN ANY CLOSE PROXIMITY--

AND THERE WERE 3 OR 4 SORT OF CIRCLING ROUND US--

WERE DOING THE SAME THING.

IT'S GOT TO DRIVE THEM CRAZY.

[CLANG]

Narrator: IN WASHINGTON, IT'S LATE AFTERNOON.

THE ENTIRE CRISIS IS NOW FOCUSED

ON A SINGLE SOVIET SUBMARINE, CORNERED AND UNPREDICTABLE.

TENSIONS ARE AT THEIR BREAKING POINT.

Stoessinger: I SAW DEFENSE SECRETARY McNAMARA TAKE

DEAN RUSK TO THE SIDE AND SAID,

"THE SUN IS SETTING.

IT COULD BE THE LAST SUNSET WE WILL EVER SEE,"

AND THAT'S WHEN I GOT SCARED.

Narrator: THE AMERICANS HAVE BEEN TRACKING B-59 FOR TWO HOURS.

[CLANG]

Slaughter: WE WEREN'T TRYING TO KILL THEM.

WE COULD WE COULD HAVE VERY EASILY KILLED THAT SUBMARINE.

WE WANTED TO HARASS IT.

WE KNEW THEY WERE PROBABLY HAVING DIFFICULTY BREATHING.

IT WAS HOT AS HELL IN THERE, IT WAS MISERABLE,

THEY WERE CRAMPED TOGETHER, AND THEY HAD BEEN

UNDER GREAT STRAIN FOR A LONG TIME.

SO WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO IS BASICALLY

APPLY PASSIVE TORTURE.

[CLANG]

Bradick: THE TYPICAL RESPONSE WOULD BE

IF HE WANTED TO COME TO THE SURFACE

HE WOULD FIRE A FLARE,

AND WE WOULD SAY, "YOU'RE CLEAR TO SURFACE,"

BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

Narrator: THE MEN ABOARD B-59 ARE FRIGHTENED AND CONFUSED.

[BOOM]

WITH NO NEW ORDERS IN OVER A WEEK,

B-59 HAS NO IDEA THE DEPTH CHARGES

ARE MEANT AS A WARNING.

Slaughter: WE DROPPED THE 5 PRACTICE DEPTH CHARGES

TO INVITE THE SUBMARINE TO COME TO THE SURFACE.

[SPEAKING RUSSIAN]

THERE IS A SPECIFIC SIGNAL THAT WE HAVE,

AND THAT IS 3 EXPLOSIONS, GRENADE EXPLOSIONS,

WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE TO SURFACE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE AMERICANS WERE DOING,

BUT IT WASN'T 3.

Narrator: THE AMERICAN SIGNAL TO SURFACE IS DIFFERENT

FROM THE RUSSIANS'.

ANY WORD FROM MOSCOW?

Narrator: COMMUNICATIONS HAVE COMPLETELY BROKEN DOWN.

THE CONY'S SLOW TORTURE OF B-59 CONTINUES FOR 5 HOURS.

[EXPLOSIONS]

[BEEPING]

WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL WE HEAR FROM MOSCOW.

LEONENKO, GET TO THE BRIDGE.

Mikhailov: SAVITSKI NEVER LOST IT.

HE JUST MADE A DECISION.

SIR!

IT'S TIME TO LOAD THE SPECIAL WEAPON.

SIR.

GIVE ME YOUR KEY, MASSLENIKOV.

Narrator: WITHERING TEMPERATURES EXCEEDING 120 DEGREES,

NO CONTACT WITH HOME...

A SHIP VIRTUALLY OUT OF POWER...

IT'S TIME TO LOAD THE SPECIAL WEAPON.

AND NOW SEEMINGLY UNDER ATTACK.

COME ON!

WE WILL SINK ALL THE FLEET,

BUT WE WILL NOT HUMILIATE RUSSIA.

[KETOV SPEAKING RUSSIAN]

SAVITSKI WAS AN IMPULSIVE MAN,

BUT IN HIS MIND AT THAT MOMENT,

HE MADE A CORRECT DECISION.

GIVE ME YOUR KEY, MASSLENIKOV.

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

YOUR KEY, MASSLENIKOV.

Arkhipova: HE HAD NO RIGHTS BECAUSE VASILI WAS IN CHARGE.

HE WAS THE COMMANDER OF THE FLEET OF ALL THE SHIPS,

BUT SAVITSKI WAS THE COMMANDER OF THIS SHIP.

"THE COMMANDER IS THE SECOND IN COMMAND AFTER GOD."

THESE ARE THE RULES THE SUBMARINES LIVE BY.

[EXPLOSION]

WE DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS AN ATTACK.

FOR ALL WE KNOW, THEY ARE TRYING TO SURFACE US.

Narrator: THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD NOW RESTS

ON VASILI ARKHIPOV'S SHOULDERS.

WE HAVE ORDERS TO DEFEND OURSELVES.

YOU MAY BE CAPTAIN OF THIS SHIP,

BUT I AM COMMANDER OF THIS FLEET,

AND YOU NEED MY PERMISSION.

Ketov: VASILI ARKHIPOV WAS OUR COMMANDER OF THE FLEET.

HE WAS A SUBMARINER AND A CLOSE FRIEND OF MINE.

HE WAS A FAMILY FRIEND.

HE STOOD OUT FOR BEING COOL-HEADED.

HE WAS IN CONTROL, HE WAS A REAL SUBMARINER.

TWO OF US HAVE AGREED.

DO I HAVE YOUR PERMISSION?

NO.

YOU NEED ALL 3 OF US.

[ARKHIPOVA SPEAKING RUSSIAN]

HE KNEW THAT IT WAS MADNESS TO FIRE A NUCLEAR TORPEDO.

PLACE THE SPECIAL WEAPON IN THE INITIAL POSITION

AND RESTORE PROTECTION.

[ARKHIPOVA SPEAKING RUSSIAN]

AND ESPECIALLY THAT HE LIVED THROUGH THAT AND SAW IT.

HE DIDN'T HESITATE TO SAY NO.

Slaughter: GOD ONLY BLESS THE MAN BECAUSE

WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED AFTER THAT?

WE WOULD HAVE BEEN A NUCLEAR WAR

WITH SOVIET RUSSIA,

AND THERE WOULD MAYBE PERHAPS NOT BE A WORLD.

IT'S TIME TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE AMERICANS.

Slaughter: WE WERE ALREADY PREPARED TO USE NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

WE HAD ALL OF OUR STRATEGIC AIRCRAFT

READY TO FLY TO RUSSIA ARMED WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS,

SO THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT

WE WOULD HAVE NUCLEAR EXCHANGE WITH THE RUSSIANS

IF THEIR NUCLEAR BALLISTIC MISSILES WORKED.

Narrator: THEIR COVER BLOWN, THE ORDEAL FOR THE MEN

OF B-59 IS FINALLY OVER.

EACH TAKES TIME TO LEAVE THE SUB AND BREATHE FRESH AIR.

WE WERE STEAMING VERY CLOSE TO THE SUBMARINE.

HE WAS ON OUR-- THE PORT SIDE,

THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SHIP

IN THE DARK WITH THE NIGHT LIGHTS ON.

I WOULD SAY IT WAS ABOUT MIDNIGHT WHEN I FINALLY

GOT UP THERE TO HAVE A LOOK AT THEM.

THEY WEREN'T 7 FEET TALL, AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE

FANGS COMING OUT OF THEIR MOUTH.

Slaughter: NOW I PERSONALLY NEVER HAD SEEN

A RUSSIAN NAVAL OFFICER, AND AS FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED,

HE WAS FROM CENTRAL CASTING.

DOUR, SQUATTY FACED, AND HE WAS HE LOOKED PRETTY MEAN ACTUALLY.

Narrator: THE U.S. NAVY MAKES NO ATTEMPT TO BOARD B-59

AS IT LIES OUTSIDE KENNEDY'S QUARANTINE LINE.

INSTEAD, THEY POINT HER IN THE DIRECTION OF HOME.

THIS NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN FOOTAGE SHOT FROM ON BOARD THE CONY

SHOWS THE STRICKEN SUB.

Slaughter: ONE OF THE SECOND-CLASS FIRE CONTROL TECHNICIAN,

HE WAS ABLE TO SHOOT SOME 8 MILLIMETER FILM,

AND TO SEE THAT FILM AND THAT SUBMARINE

GOING OFF AWAY FROM OUR CONTROL WAS SOMEWHAT SADDENING

BECAUSE HE WAS OUR CATCH.

ONLY 1 OF THE 4 SUBS ESCAPED DETECTION,

AND NONE OF THE OTHERS CAME CLOSE TO FIRING ON THE AMERICANS,

BY THE END OF OCTOBER, A PEACE DEAL WAS BROKERED

BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND MOSCOW.

AT THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER, RUSSIAN MISSILES,

HIDDEN UNDER TARPAULINS, WERE FILMED

BEING WITHDRAWN FROM CUBA.

AMERICA AGREED TO REMOVE HER MISSILES FROM TURKEY.

THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS WAS OVER...

BUT FOR THE SUBMARINERS ARRIVING HOME,

THERE WAS DISGRACE.

Blanton: WHAT HEROISM, WHAT DUTY THEY FULFILLED

TO GO HALFWAY ACROSS THE WORLD AND BACK AND SURVIVE,

AND THEY WERE TREATED REALLY SHABBILY.

IN FACT, I THINK ONE OF THE SOVIET ADMIRALS

TOLD THE COMMANDERS "IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER

IF YOU'D GONE DOWN WITH YOUR SHIP."

EXTRAORDINARY.

"IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER HAD THEY DROWNED."

YOU SEE, THIS IS WHAT THEY CALL A WELCOME.

THAT'S WHY VASILI DIDN'T LIKE TALKING ABOUT IT.

HE FELT THEY HADN'T APPRECIATED

WHAT THEY HAD GONE THROUGH.

WHEN I ASKED HIM ABOUT IT, HE SAID, "THAT'S ENOUGH".

Narrator: ARKHIPOV, THE MAN WHO SAVED THE WORLD,

EVENTUALLY SUCCUMBED TO RADIATION POISONING

FROM THE K-19 DISASTER.

HE BECAME ILL AND DIED OF KIDNEY CANCER,

AN AFFLICTION THAT TOOK MANY OTHERS

WHO SERVED ON THE SUB.

IT'S TAKEN 40 YEARS FOR THE TRUE DANGER

THE WORLD FACED TO COME TO LIGHT.

IN 2002, VADIM ORLOV, TOLD HIS STORY AT A PRESS CONFERENCE.

[ORLOV SPEAKING RUSSIAN]

Narrator: BEFORE THIS, NO ONE HAD ANY IDEA THE SUBS

WERE EVEN ARMED WITH ATOMIC WEAPONS

LET ALONE THAT THE ACTIONS OF A SINGLE MAN PREVENTED ONE

FROM BEING LAUNCHED.

[ARKHIPOVA SPEAKING RUSSIAN]

IN CUBA, IN HONOR OF THE 40th ANNIVERSARY

OF THE CRISIS, PEOPLE GATHERED.

THERE WAS THE AMERICAN MINISTER OF DEFENSE McNAMARA,

THERE WERE REPRESENTATIVES FROM RUSSIA,

AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT,

AND THEY SAID THAT THE PERSON WHO PREVENTED A NUCLEAR WAR

WAS THE RUSSIAN SUBMARINER, VASILI ARKHIPOV.

I WAS PROUD, AND I AM PROUD OF MY HUSBAND.

ALWAYS.

Announcer: THE ICONIC MOMENTS

THAT HAVE SHAPED OUR WORLD...

Man: IT STRETCHES HUMAN HISTORY WAY BACK.

Announcer: THE FINE LINE BETWEEN FICTION AND FACT...

Woman: THAT LEGEND JUST DOESN'T STAND UP AGAINST REALITY.

Announcer: DISCOVERIES THAT BRING THE DEAD BACK TO LIFE,

FORENSICS THAT CREATE CLARITY FROM CHAOS.

THE PAST GETS REWRITTEN WHEN SCIENCE AND HISTORY COLLIDE...

"SECRETS OF THE DEAD."

"SECRETS OF THE DEAD" WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS

TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.