Vasily Arkhipov
Vasily Aleksandrovich Arkhipov (Russian: Василий Александрович Архипов, IPA: [vɐˈsʲilʲɪj ɐlʲɪkˈsandrəvʲɪtɕ arˈxʲipəf], 30 January 1926 – 19 August 1998) was a Soviet Naval officer who is known for preventing a Soviet nuclear torpedo launch during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The course of events that would have followed such a launch cannot be known, but various speculations have been advanced, up to and including global thermonuclear war.
Vasily Arkhipov | |
|---|---|
| Native name | Василий Александрович Архипов |
| Born | 30 January 1926 Zvorkovo, Moscow Oblast, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
| Died | 19 August 1998 (aged 72) Zheleznodorozhny, Moscow Oblast, Russia |
| Service/ | Soviet Navy |
| Years of service | 1945–1986 |
| Rank | Vice admiral |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | |
| Spouse(s) | Olga Arkhipova |
As flotilla commodore as well as executive officer of the diesel powered submarine B-59, Arkhipov refused to authorize the captain and the political officer to use nuclear torpedoes against the United States Navy, a decision that required the agreement of all three officers. In 2002, Thomas S. Blanton, then director of the U.S. National Security Archive, credited Arkhipov as "the man who saved the world".