How the world nearly ended in 1962
In 1962, the world almost witnessed nuclear annihilation as World War III loomed over the horizon.
The Soviet Union secretly placed nuclear missiles in Cuba, putting them a mere 90 miles from US shores. The US responded with a naval blockade of Cuba, essentially quarantining the island to prevent further Soviet supplies. This action was seen as a potential act of war by the Soviets, raising military tensions significantly.
With both sides on high alert and nervous, any miscommunication or military accident could have sparked a full-blown conflict. Leaders on both sides worried about subordinates making rash decisions and the potential for the conflict to spiral out of control.
And it nearly did a few times.
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In the middle of the Cuban Missile Crisis, a Soviet satellite exploded after entering orbit on 24 October 1962, leading the US to believe that the Soviet Union was launching an ICBM attack.
In the early morning of 27 October, the Soviet Strategic Rocket Forces fueled a series of nuclear-armed ICBMs that could be launched at a moment's notice. Wireless communication between divisions of the Soviet military and the Strategic Rocket Forces was transferred to wartime frequencies — effectively signifying to the ICBM command post that war has begun. The Soviets deployed nuclear cruise missiles in firing position to within 15 miles of the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay.
On the very same day, Soviet patrol submarine B-59 lost contact with Moscow while under harassment by American naval forces. The commander of B-59 feared that war had already begun and ordered the use of a 10-kiloton nuclear torpedo against the American fleet. The political commissar agreed to launch the nuclear missile. But, the second in command of the flotilla, Vasily Arkhipov, refused permission to launch.
On the next day, New Jersey radar operators informed the national command post that a nuclear attack was underway. In reality, a test tape simulating an attack from Cuba was running on radar machinery just as a satellite came over the horizon, simulating an incoming Soviet missile.
Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed in the end, and a diplomatic resolution was reached. However, the Cuban Missile Crisis stands as a stark reminder of how close the world came to nuclear devastation.
