Vasili ArkhipovVasili Arkhipov is one man who never had to question whether or not he did the right thing. In October 1962, when the world was holding its collective breath during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Arkhipov was employed on a Soviet submarine just off the coast of Florida. The United States deployed warning charges designed to tell the submarine to surface and identify itself, but due to its evasive maneuvers, the Soviet sub was too deep to monitor radio waves and was unsure if war had broken out. Arkhipov was one of three men who needed to sign off before nuclear weaponry was unleashed, and he refused.
Most people probably don't know the name Vasili Arkhipov, but everyone should appreciate his actions. For more on the events, enjoy this PBS documentary titled The Man Who Saved the World.
