Mankind has witnessed two catastrophic world wars. Known as World War I & II. These two have left an bloody mark on history. Massive devastation and loss of life was a sign of the destructive power of human conflict. However, there were two unsung heroes in the history of mankind who through their unwavering courage and determination single-handedly prevented The World War III. Do you want to know how they did it? Then remember the name of Vasili Arkhipov (1926-1998) (on the left) and Stanislav Petrov (1939-2017) (on the right), whose extraordinary actions preserved the peace during two of the most critical moments of our history.
Chapter 1: Vasili Arkhipov – The Man Who Stood Against the Storm
Vasili Arkhipov was a Soviet Navy officer who played a leading role during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. As tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union raised up, a US Navy destroyer discovered that a Soviet submarines was carrying nuclear-armed torpedoes near Cuba! This made the Soviet side fearful of a full-scale nuclear war. The US Navy began dropping practice depth charges to force the submarines to surface.
In this chaotic situation, Arkhipov, serving as the second-in-command aboard the Soviet submarine B-59, found himself faced with an unthinkable decision. The submarine had lost radio contact with Moscow. The US Navy’s depth charges had harmed them to their core. Inside the submarine, there was a debate among the officers on what to do. They’d only two options left.
- Whether to launch a nuclear torpedo in retaliation – which would surely cause a great war
- surface and surrender – which might get them killed.
❝Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.❞
❝The Road Not Taken❞ by Robert Frost
With the weight of the world on his own shoulders, Arkhipov alone argued against launching a nuclear strike. His unwavering courage, restraint and belief in the power of peace altered the probability of beginning World War III, a nuclear catastrophe. This risky and carrier unfriendly decision earned him the title of the man who saved the world.
Chapter 2: Stanislav Petrov – The Guardian of Humanity
In 1983, during the Cold War, Stanislav Petrov, a lieutenant colonel in the Soviet Air Defense Forces, found himself in a similar situation. He had to show his responsibility for the sake of the world. Petrov was stationed at the Soviet Union’s early-warning system, which was designed in a way which to detect incoming nuclear missiles.
On September 26, 1983, the system reported an incoming missile strike from the United States. The computers showed multiple missiles heading towards the Soviet Union and world reached the brink of nuclear Armageddon. The protocol clearly stated to take an immediate response, Petrov, driven by his intuition and a gut feeling, chose to trust his instincts instead of the machine signals.
❝If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too.❞
“If—” by Rudyard Kipling
With nerves of steel, Petrov bravely ignored the alarm, counted it as a false alarm caused by a technical error. His self made and risky decision to hold back on retaliation is truly remarkable. This one decision had prevented a potential nuclear exchange between the superpowers. Not to be mentioned, safeguarding humanity from the horrors of World War III.
Chapter 3 : The Mystical Hero Attributes
Arkhipov and Petrov were not just ordinary men. Their actions reflected the qualities of mystical heroes. Both of them possessed the rare combination of courage, bravery and unwavering determination. They ignored the convention method of their time just to protect the greater good. Like the mythical figures from ancient legends, they stood in front of overwhelming darkness like a shield and proved that even a single person can make a huge impact on the course of history in order to sustain the peace.
Vasili Arkhipov and Stanislav Petrov remain unsung heroes, their names are often overshadowed. However, their contributions to preventing World War III cannot be overstated. Their courage for world peace was indeed guided by a deep sense of humanity.
Let us not forget their extraordinary attributes. The mystical heroism that allowed them to dismiss the war, chaos and uncertainty of their time. Their stories should be enough for a powerful reminder that, even in our darkest hours, when there’s no one by your side, the actions of a few can change the course of humanity. Their story may motivate us to realize our own heroic potential and work accordingly to make the world more peaceful.
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Writer,
MD Rakib Rayhan
Intern, Content Writing Department,
YSSE