Secrets of the Dead (2000–…): Season 12, Episode 1 - The Man Who Saved the World - full transcript

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

OCTOBER 1962... AMERICA
AND THE SOVIET UNION,

FACE OFF IN THE WATERS
BETWEEN FLORIDA AND CUBA.

Man: EVERYBODY'S GOT
A NUKE IN THEIR POCKET.

ONE SPARK WOULD SET IT OFF.

Announcer: 50 YEARS LATER,
THE STUNNING REVELATION

THAT THE WORLD WAS CLOSER
TO NUCLEAR DESTRUCTION

THAN WE KNEW.

Man: IT COULD HAVE VERY WELL

MEANT THE END OF HUMANITY.

Announcer: 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.

Announcer:
"THE MAN WHO SAVED THE WORLD."

Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.

"SECRETS OF THE DEAD" WAS MADE
POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS

TO YOUR PBS STATION
FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

Narrator: 1962...
AMERICA AND THE SOVIET UNION,

TWO SUPERPOWERS WITH ENOUGH
WEAPONRY TO DESTROY

THE WORLD 20 TIMES OVER,
FACED OFF.

Man: EVERYBODY'S GOT
A NUKE IN THEIR POCKET.

ONE SPARK WOULD SET IT OFF.

Narrator: 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.

Man: 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.

Narrator: 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.

Narrator: BUT JUST HOW CLOSE
THE WORLD CAME

TO COMPLETE DESTRUCTION DURING
THOSE DARK OCTOBER DAYS

HAS ONLY RECENTLY
COME TO LIGHT.

Man: 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.

Narrator: 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.

Narrator: 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

IT IS AS IF
THEY HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

PLANE OVERHEAD!
PLANE OVERHEAD!

CRASH DIVE!
CRASH DIVE! CRASH DIVE!

HOW MUCH CHARGE?

BARELY 5%.

THAT'S ONLY 6 HOURS.

BATTERY ROOM,
CAN YOU CONFIRM THE CHARGE?

THE CHARGE!

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.

Bradick: THE SONAR ITSELF
IS LIKE A BIG SPEAKER

LIKE YOU HAVE IN YOUR HOUSE.

Slaughter: OUR SONAR
COULD ESSENTIALLY BE USED

AS AN OFFENSIVE WEAPON.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

PLACE THE SPECIAL WEAPON
IN THE INITIAL POSITION

AND RESTORE PROTECTION.

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.

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.

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.

THE "SECRETS OF THE DEAD"
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