#1 How One Man Stopped World War III
On October 27, 1962, the world came dangerously close to a nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union.
A single man, Vasili Arkhipov, a 36-year-old Soviet navy officer, saved the world from nuclear destruction.
🧵👇
On October 27, 1962, the world came dangerously close to a nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union.
A single man, Vasili Arkhipov, a 36-year-old Soviet navy officer, saved the world from nuclear destruction.
🧵👇
#2 In response to the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion and the presence of American Jupiter ballistic missiles in Italy and Turkey, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev agreed to place nuclear missiles in Cuba to deter future harassment by the United States. 
#3 On October 22, 1962, President John F. Kennedy announced a U.S. Navy blockade to halt the Soviet Union's plan to deploy nuclear missiles in Cuba.
Americans congregated in a California store to watch the news, while in New York, people lined up to purchase newspapers.
Americans congregated in a California store to watch the news, while in New York, people lined up to purchase newspapers.
#4 JFK: "To halt this offensive buildup, a strict quarantine on all offensive military equipment
under shipment to Cuba is being initiated. All ships of any kind bound for Cuba from whatever nation
and port will, if found to contain cargoes of offensive weapons, be turned back."
under shipment to Cuba is being initiated. All ships of any kind bound for Cuba from whatever nation
and port will, if found to contain cargoes of offensive weapons, be turned back."
#5 The crisis reached its peak on October 27, 1962, when Vasili Arkhipov's Soviet submarine carrying nuclear torpedoes was detected near the blockade.
The submarine was too low to pick up radio frequencies and had been out of contact with Moscow for several days.
The submarine was too low to pick up radio frequencies and had been out of contact with Moscow for several days.
#6 A US Navy destroyer began dropping depth charges near the submarine, causing the captain and crew to believe that war had already broken out.
The submarine's captain ordered the launch of a nuclear torpedo, which required the approval of all three senior officers on board.
The submarine's captain ordered the launch of a nuclear torpedo, which required the approval of all three senior officers on board.
#7 One of those officers, Vasili Arkhipov, refused to authorize the launch, arguing that a nuclear strike would trigger a global catastrophe.
His intervention is credited with preventing nuclear genocide and is recognized as one of the most significant acts of the 20th century.
His intervention is credited with preventing nuclear genocide and is recognized as one of the most significant acts of the 20th century.
#8 Last October, President Joe Biden warned that the world was facing its greatest risk of nuclear 'Armageddon' since the Cuban Missile Crisis.
"We have not faced the prospect of Armageddon since Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis... [Vladimir Putin] is not joking when he… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
"We have not faced the prospect of Armageddon since Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis... [Vladimir Putin] is not joking when he… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
#9 Ukraine is not worth the risk of nuclear genocide, and diplomacy should be the primary approach to resolve this conflict.
Regrettably, however, no peace negotiations are in sight, as both superpowers are firmly committed to escalation.
It's possible that a diplomatic… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
Regrettably, however, no peace negotiations are in sight, as both superpowers are firmly committed to escalation.
It's possible that a diplomatic… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
