Secrets of the Dead

Announcer

COMING UP ON "SECRETS OF THE DEAD"... OCTOBER 1962--AMERICA AND THE SOVIET UNION, FACE OFF IN THE WATERS BETWEEN FLORIDA AND CUBA.

Man

EVERYBODY'S GOT A NUKE IN THEIR POCKET. ONE SPARK WOULD SET IT OFF.

Announcer

50 YEARS LATER, THE STUNNING REVELATION THAT THE WORLD WAS CLOSER TO NUCLEAR DESTRUCTION THAN WE KNEW.

Man

IT COULD HAVE VERY WELL MEANT THE END OF HUMANITY.

Announcer

BUT ONE SOVIET REFUSED TO PUSH THE BUTTON. YOU MAY BE CAPTAIN OF THIS SHIP, BUT I AM COMMANDER OF THIS FLEET, AND YOU NEED MY PERMISSION. "THE MAN WHO SAVED THE WORLD." CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY FRIENDS OF NCI

Narrator

1962-- AMERICA AND THE SOVIET UNION, TWO SUPERPOWERS WITH ENOUGH WEAPONRY TO DESTROY THE WORLD 20 TIMES OVER, FACED OFF.

Man

EVERYBODY'S GOT A NUKE IN THEIR POCKET. ONE SPARK WOULD SET IT OFF.

Narrator

THAT SPARK WOULD COME IN THE AUTUMN OF THAT YEAR. DIVE 100 METERS. THE WORLD HELD ITS BREATH AS 4 SOVIET SUBMARINES, ARMED TO THE TEETH WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS, SET OFF FOR CUBA WHILE THE U.S. ATLANTIC FLEET WENT ON THE HUNT.

Man

WE WERE LOOKING TOWARD RUSSIA AND SEEING A COUNTRY THAT WANTED TO DESTROY US. I CALL UPON CHAIRMAN KHRUSHCHEV TO HALT AND ELIMINATE THIS CLANDESTINE, RECKLESS, AND PROVOCATIVE THREAT TO WORLD PEACE.

Narrator

DURING THESE FEW DAYS, THE SURVIVAL OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT DEPENDED ON 3 INDIVIDUALS UNDER ENORMOUS PRESSURE. SIR! LOAD THE SPECIAL WEAPON. BUT JUST HOW CLOSE THE WORLD CAME TO COMPLETE DESTRUCTION DURING THOSE DARK OCTOBER DAYS HAS ONLY RECENTLY COME TO LIGHT.

Man

I HAD A WRITTEN ORDER THAT I COULD RELEASE IT, AND IF THERE WAS AN ORDER TO FIRE THE TORPEDO, I WOULD DO IT WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT.

Different man

THE IDEA THAT A SUB COMMANDER COULD LAUNCH WORLD WAR III WAS YET ANOTHER LAYER OF THE ULTIMATE DANGER. I NOW BELIEVE THAT IT COULD HAVE MEANT THE END OF HUMANITY.

Narrator

THIS IS THE STORY OF HOW ONE MAN PUSHED THE WORLD TO THE BRINK OF DESTRUCTION AND HOW ANOTHER SAVED US ALL FROM NUCLEAR APOCALYPSE. IT'S BETTER THAN FICTION. LET'S GO. COME ON. LET'S GO. COME ON. AT A TOP-SECRET NAVAL BASE IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE, 4 SOVIET SUBMARINES PREPARE FOR A MISSION KNOWN ONLY TO A HANDFUL OF COMMUNIST PARTY OFFICIALS. THE MEN ON BOARD HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THEY ARE BEING SENT.

MAN SPEAKING RUSSIAN

Narrator

WHEN WE WERE AT THE BASE, WE WERE PREPARING FOR THE VOYAGE. WHERE EXACTLY? THAT KIND OF INFORMATION THEY DIDN'T TELL US, ONLY THAT IT WOULD BE OUT AT SEA. THEIR ORDERS, THE COURSE OF THEIR JOURNEY, AND THE TIMETABLE ARE CONTAINED IN AN ENVELOPE TO BE OPENED ONLY WHEN THEY ARE OUT TO SEA. VALENTIN SAVITSKI IS THE COMMANDER OF ONE OF THE SUBS--B-59-- AND UNTIL HE OPENS HIS ORDERS, THE DESTINATION REMAINS A MYSTERY.

SPEAKING RUSSIAN

Narrator

WE HAD MAPS TO ALL THE OCEANS OF THE WORLD. WE COULD GO ANYWHERE. WHEREVER THEY TOLD US TO GO WE WOULD ALTER THE COURSE, AND WE'D GO THERE.

BLOWS

Narrator

ONE OF THE ONLY MEN WHO KNOWS ABOUT THE MISSION IN ADVANCE IS THE CAPTAIN OF THE ENTIRE SUBMARINE FLEET. HE WILL ALSO BE MAKING THE JOURNEY ON BOARD SUB B-59.

WOMAN SPEAKING RUSSIAN

Narrator

MY HUSBAND WAS A VERY SHY AND MODEST PERSON, INTELLIGENT AND SMART, VERY POLITE. WHEN WE USED TO GO ON HOLIDAY, WHEREVER HE WAS, HE WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO FIND FRESH NEWSPAPERS. HE WAS ALWAYS IN TOUCH WITH THE MODERN WORLD. HIS CHARACTER WAS VERY KIND AND CALM. HE WAS A REAL HUMAN BEING. AND LIKE MANY SUBMARINERS, HE HAS HIS OWN RITUALS.

Arkhipova

WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER TO CALL IT A SUPERSTITION, BUT ONE DAY WHEN I CAME HOME, THERE WAS THE SMELL OF PAPER. I ASKED WHAT WAS GOING ON. DID SOMETHING BURN IN THE HOUSE? "NO," HE REPLIED. "I'VE JUST BURNED ALL OUR LETTERS." "WHY?" I ASKED WITH TEARS IN MY EYES. HE REPLIED THAT "IF YOU KEEP THE LETTERS, THEN THAT IS BAD LUCK."

Narrator

AND LUCK IS SOMETHING VASILI ARKHIPOV WILL RELY ON. HE WILL BE PART OF AN OPERATION THAT WILL BRING THE WORLD TO THE VERY BRINK OF COMPLETE AND UTTER DESTRUCTION. BY THE AUTUMN OF 1962, RELATIONS BETWEEN MOSCOW AND WASHINGTON HAVE ALL BUT COLLAPSED. THE COMMUNIST EAST AND CAPITALIST WEST STAND TOE TO TOE.

Man

THE COMMIES WERE BAD GUYS, WE ALL KNEW THAT, AND WE WERE THE GOOD GUYS. WE WORE WHITE HATS, AND THEY WORE BLACK HATS. THEY WERE THE ENEMY. EVERYONE IN AMERICA HAD NO LOVE LOST FOR THE SOVIET UNION, AND WE DIDN'T TRUST THEM, AND WE WERE FEARFUL. WE WERE LOOKING TOWARD RUSSIA AND SEEING A COUNTRY THAT WANTED TO DESTROY US, AND IT WAS OUR DUTY TO MAKE SURE THEY DIDN'T PREVAIL. THE AMERICANS FOR THE FIRST TIME FELT VULNERABLE. AND YOU HAD THE BEGINNING OF THE BACKYARD BOMB SHELTER CRAZE, WHERE PEOPLE IN THE LEAFY SUBURBS OF WASHINGTON, D.C., WERE BUILDING BOMB SHELTERS BACK IN THEIR BACKYARD, STOCKING IT WITH CANNED GOODS, AND THEY WERE TEACHING SCHOOL KIDS HOW TO DUCK AND COVER UNDER THEIR DESKS. THERE WAS A LEVEL OF PARANOIA.

Narrator

KENNEDY'S ADMINISTRATION HAS STATIONED MISSILE ARRAYS IN TURKEY AND ITALY THAT ARE CAPABLE OF DESTROYING THE PEOPLE OF MOSCOW IN 16 MINUTES.

ARKHIPOVA SPEAKING RUSSIAN

Narrator

WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT AMERICA HAD BUILT ROCKET LAUNCHERS AGAINST US, THAT WASN'T A PLEASANT THING TO KNOW. OUR COUNTRY WASN'T PREPARING FOR ANY WARS. IT WAS ALWAYS EVERYONE ELSE WHO WAS ATTACKING US. ADDING TO THE TENSION IS THE REVOLUTION IN CUBA. CASTRO'S TAKEOVER MEANS THAT A REGIME SYMPATHETIC TO RUSSIA NOW STANDS AT AMERICA'S DOORSTEP.

Blanton

I THINK THE CUBAN REVOLUTION WAS THE FIRST GENUINE COMMUNIST REVOLUTION THAT DIDN'T COME FROM STALIN'S TANKS DOING A TAKEOVER. SO THE OLD COMMIES IN MOSCOW LOOKED AT THE YOUNG COMMIES IN CUBA AND SAID, "YEAH. RIGHT! THE NEW GENERATION! THIS IS GREAT!"

Narrator

THROUGHOUT 1962, THE SOVIET UNION SECRETLY SMUGGLED 42 MID-RANGE NUCLEAR MISSILES INTO CASTRO'S CUBA USING COMMERCIAL SHIPPING... BUT WITH NO PROOF, THE AMERICANS CAN ONLY AIR THEIR SUSPICIONS AT A U.N. MEETING. DO YOU, AMBASSADOR ZORIN, DENY THAT THE U.S.S.R. HAS PLACED AND IS PLACING MEDIUM- AND INTERMEDIATE-RANGE MISSILES AND SITES IN CUBA? YES OR NO.

LAUGHTER

Translator

YOU WILL HAVE YOUR ANSWER IN DUE COURSE. I AM PREPARED TO WAIT FOR MY ANSWER UNTIL HELL FREEZES OVER IF THAT'S YOUR DECISION.

Man

"IF YOU HAVE YOUR MISSILES IN TURKEY, WE HAVE OUR MISSILE IN CUBA," AND THAT WAS THE GAME.

Narrator

THE CUBAN MISSILES MEAN THE SOVIETS CAN NOW ANNIHILATE LOS ANGELES, WASHINGTON, AND NEW YORK WITHIN JUST 30 MINUTES, AND RUSSIA DOES NOT INTEND TO STOP THERE. AS PART OF THE NEXT STAGE OF MILITARIZING CUBA, THE 4 SUBS SLIP THEIR ANCHORS AND LEAVE RUSSIAN WATERS... BUT WHAT ONLY A HANDFUL OF THE SUBMARINERS ABOARD KNOW IS THAT EACH SUB CARRIES A TOP-SECRET CARGO. EXCEPT FOR THE WEAPON OFFICERS AND COMMANDERS, NOBODY ELSE WAS ALLOWED TO GO IN THERE. THE COMMANDER, SECOND IN COMMAND, SPECIAL OFFICER. NOBODY ELSE WAS ALLOWED IN THIS ROOM. THE SPECIAL CARGO IN EACH OF THE SUBS IS A SINGLE NUCLEAR TORPEDO OF EXTRAORDINARY POWER, WEAPONS WITH THE SAME STRENGTH AS THE BOMB DROPPED ON HIROSHIMA.

Mikhailov

AT THAT PERIOD OF TIME, IT WAS CALLED "SPECIAL WEAPON," NOT "NUCLEAR TORPEDO," BUT "SPECIAL WEAPON." AT THAT TIME, WE COULDN'T EVEN IMAGINE A NUCLEAR TORPEDO.

Narrator

THE COMMANDER OF EACH OF THE 4 SUBMARINES HAS PERMISSION TO ACT WITHOUT MOSCOW'S ORDER. RYURIK KETOV WAS COMMANDER OF ONE OF THE OTHER SUBS.

Ketov

I HAD A WRITTEN ORDER THAT I COULD RELEASE IT, AND IF THERE WAS AN ORDER TO FIRE THE TORPEDO, I WOULD DO IT WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN LIFE, A COMMANDER OF A SUBMARINE HAD A NUCLEAR WEAPON AND HAD THE AUTHORITY TO FIRE THE MISSILE ON HIS COMMAND.

Narrator

EACH SUB MUST FOLLOW A STRICT SAFETY PROTOCOL. GOOD. MASSLENIKOV, YOUR KEY. THE NUCLEAR TORPEDO CAN ONLY BE LAUNCHED IF BOTH THE SUB'S CAPTAIN AND ITS POLITICAL OFFICER ARE IN AGREEMENT. EACH HAS ONE HALF OF A KEY THAT WHEN JOINED WILL UNLOCK THE FIRING MECHANISM.

BUZZING

Narrator

A SIGNAL IS THEN TRANSMITTED TO THE TORPEDO BAY. ALL CORRECT, SIR. ON THIS VOYAGE, THE B-59 REQUIRES AN ADDITIONAL STEP. VASILI ARKHIPOV, THE HEAD OF THE FLEET, HAS THE POWER OF VETO. THANK YOU. IF THESE 3 MEN AGREE, THEY CAN UNLEASH ARMAGEDDON. THE WORLD WAS PROTECTED ONLY BY THE POLICY OF MUTUALLY ASSURED DESTRUCTION, A DETERRENT MEANT TO SCARE RUSSIA AND AMERICA FROM FIRING ON ONE ANOTHER.

Slaughter

IT MEANS THAT IF WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF WIPING OUT EVERY MEANINGFUL TARGET IN THE SOVIET UNION AND THEY HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF WIPING OUT ANY EVERY MEANINGFUL TARGET IN OUR COUNTRY, THAT WE BOTH LAUNCHED OUR MISSILES AT THE SAME TIME AND BOTH COUNTRIES ARE DESTROYED. ONE SINGLE SOVIET NUCLEAR TORPEDO WOULD TRIGGER A RESPONSE FROM THE AMERICANS LEADING TO A CASCADE OF DESTRUCTION. THE ANSWER TO THE FIST WAS TO HOLD OUR OWN FIST. THAT'S HOW IT WAS. EVERYBODY'S GOT A NUKE IN THEIR POCKET. ONE SPARK WOULD SET IT OFF.

Narrator

50 MILES FROM PORT, EACH COMMANDER IS INSTRUCTED TO READ HIS ORDERS. COMRADES. WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO TAKE PART IN A SPECIAL MISSION FOR THE SOVIET UNION. THE 69th BRIGADE OF LONG-RANGE DIESEL ATTACK SUBMARINES WILL MAKE BEST SPEED AND REMAIN UNDETECTED AS WE TRANSIT ACROSS THE ATLANTIC AND THEN BE PERMANENTLY STATIONED IN MARIEL, CUBA. UNDER THEIR ORDERS, THE SUBMARINERS WILL TRAVEL 7,000 MILES FROM THE SAFETY OF THE ARCTIC OCEAN, PAST SCANDINAVIA AND ICELAND, SOUTH INTO THE CARIBBEAN, WHERE THEY WILL REINFORCE THE SECRET SOVIET FORCES IN CUBA... ONLY 90 MILES FROM MAINLAND AMERICA. THE PLAN IS FOR THESE 4 SUBMARINES TO SERVE AS THE VANGUARD OF A SOVIET FORCE THAT WILL MAKE CUBA ONE OF THE MOST MILITARIZED PLACES ON EARTH. OF COURSE IF I KNEW HE WAS GOING THERE, TO CUBA, I'D BE A HUNDRED TIMES MORE WORRIED. THIS IS A MOST IMPORTANT MISSION ASSIGNED BY THE PARTY AND THE GOVERNMENT. I AM SURE WE WILL ACCOMPLISH IT. I RELY UPON YOU. BUT GETTING TO CUBA IS A JOURNEY FRAUGHT WITH DIFFICULTY AND CONSTANT DANGER OF DETECTION. HUNTING THEM WILL BE THE MOST ADVANCED FLEET OF AMERICAN SUB HUNTERS... DESTROYERS, HELICOPTERS, SURVEILLANCE PLANES ALL ARMED WITH THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY. COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER GARY SLAUGHTER WAS ON THE U.S.S. CONY. Slaughter,

voice-over

STARTING IN 1952, AMERICA HAD INVESTED BILLIONS, MAYBE TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN BEEFING UP ITS ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE CAPABILITY, AND THE ONLY ENEMY THAT WE WERE TRYING TO SUPPRESS AND CONFRONT AND DEFEAT WAS THE SOVIET UNION. WE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN BETTER PREPARED FOR THEIR DECISION TO BRING THOSE SUBMARINES TO CUBA. TWO WEEKS AFTER LEAVING HOME, THE 4 RUSSIAN SUBS SAFELY REACH THE MID-ATLANTIC WITHOUT INCIDENT. THEY HAVE MADE IT MORE THAN HALFWAY TO CUBA UNDETECTED AND WITHOUT AROUSING THE SUSPICIONS OF THE AMERICANS. JOHN STOESSINGER, AN ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT KENNEDY, WITNESSED THE GOVERNMENT'S INNER WORKINGS DURING THE CRISIS AND WAS THERE WHEN U-2 SPY PLANES RETURNED WITH PHOTOGRAPHIC PROOF THAT THE SOVIETS HAD SMUGGLED MISSILES INTO CUBA.

Stoessinger

THEY BEGAN TO SWEAR AND CUSS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW A THING ABOUT IT, AND QUITE FRANKLY, THEY SWORE LIKE A BUNCH OF UNHAPPY TRUCK DRIVERS. THAT'S THE LANGUAGE THEY USED.

Narrator

THE AMERICANS NOW HAVE CONCRETE PROOF THAT SOVIET MISSILES COULD BE LAUNCHED FROM CUBA.

Stoessinger

MOST AMERICANS WERE OUTRAGED BUT ALSO VERY FRIGHTENED. VERY FRIGHTENED.

Narrator

ON OCTOBER 14, THE WEATHER STARTS TO CHANGE. HURRICANE ELLA BEGINS FORMING IN THE CARIBBEAN. IT WILL BE THE BIGGEST STORM OF THE SEASON.

KETOV SPEAKING RUSSIAN

Narrator

AT THAT MOMENT, THE ATLANTIC WAS VERY DISTURBED, A STORM AFTER A STORM. THE WAVES WERE GOING UP TO 5-7 METERS, AND THE WIND WAS MAKING IT EVEN WORSE, BUT THE SHIP SITS LOW IN THE WATER, UP TO 5 METERS HIGH, AND IT WAS COMPLETELY COVERED BY THE WAVES. WE WERE GOING THROUGH WITH THE HATCH CLOSED BECAUSE IF YOU OPEN IT, THE WATER WILL GET IN IMMEDIATELY. THE LOW CLOUD COVER MEANS AMERICAN SPOTTER PLANES ARE GROUNDED. FOR US PERFECT WEATHER IS WHEN THERE ARE WAVES, WHEN THERE'S A STORM. THESE CONDITIONS ARE IDEAL. BUT THE CONDITIONS INSIDE THE SUBMARINES ARE APPALLING.

MIKHAILOV SPEAKING RUSSIAN

Narrator

DURING THIS STORM, WE JUST COULDN'T STAND ON OUR FEET. IN CONDITIONS LIKE THIS, YOU HAVE TO PUT YOUR LEGS AGAINST THE BULKHEAD AND KEEP YOUR BACK PRESSED AGAINST THE FITTINGS JUST TO KEEP YOURSELF STABLE. OTHERWISE THE WAVES CAN SWING THE SHIP AROUND, AND YOU CAN BREAK YOUR HEAD OR DAMAGE SOMETHING. THERE IS NO RADIO CONTACT FROM MOSCOW. WHILE NEGOTIATIONS HAVE STARTED AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, NOTHING IS PASSED ON TO THE 4 SUBMARINES.

STATIC CRACKLING

Narrator

IT IS AS IF THEY HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN.

STATIC

Narrator

AND THEN ON THE 15th OF OCTOBER, NAVAL COMMAND IN MOSCOW FINALLY MAKES CONTACT. SIR. DISMISSED. IT SEEMS MOSCOW IS CHANGING THE MISSION. COMRADES, WE HAVE JUST RECEIVED WORD FROM MOSCOW, SOME NEW ORDERS. WE ARE TO BE STATIONED IN THE SARGASSO SEA UNTIL ADVISED OTHERWISE. A LITTLE MORE THAN TWO WEEKS AFTER LEAVING MOTHER RUSSIA, THE 4 SUBMARINES ARE ORDERED TO HOLD THEIR POSITION IN THE SARGASSO SEA AND WAIT FOR INSTRUCTIONS, BUT MORE TIME AT SEA MEANS MORE CHANCES FOR THE AMERICANS TO FIND THEM. A THOUSAND MILES AWAY FROM CUBA, KENNEDY DECIDES TO SPEAK TO THE NATION ABOUT THE DISCOVERY OF SOVIET MISSILE BASES. IT SHALL BE THE POLICY OF THIS NATION TO REGARD ANY NUCLEAR MISSILE LAUNCHED FROM CUBA AGAINST ANY NATION IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE AS AN ATTACK BY THE SOVIET UNION ON THE UNITED STATES REQUIRING A FULL RETALIATORY RESPONSE UPON THE SOVIET UNION. OUR GOAL IS...

Stoessinger

SO FAR EVERYTHING HAD BEEN KEPT SECRET, BUT GOING PUBLIC MEANT THAT THE WHOLE COUNTRY WOULD KNOW ABOUT IT BUT ALSO PRIME MINISTER KHRUSHCHEV WOULD KNOW ABOUT IT.

Slaughter

I PATCHED IT THROUGH THE PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM ALL THROUGH THE SHIP, AND IT WAS SOBERING. I CALL UPON CHAIRMAN KHRUSHCHEV TO HALT AND ELIMINATE THIS CLANDESTINE, RECKLESS, AND PROVOCATIVE THREAT TO WORLD PEACE AND TO STABLE RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR TWO NATIONS. I CALL UPON HIM FURTHER...

Narrator

KENNEDY ANNOUNCES THAT GOING FORWARD CUBA WILL BE UNDER QUARANTINE.

Stoessinger

"WE SHOULD NOT CALL IT A BLOCKADE," THE PRESIDENT SAID. "WE SHOULD CALL IT A QUARANTINE." AND SOMEBODY SHOUTED, "WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE, MR. PRESIDENT?" "IT SOUNDS BETTER," PRESIDENT KENNEDY SAID. "IT DOES NOT SOUND AS THREATENING AS A BLOCKADE, AND THAT IS A GOOD THING."

Slaughter

WE KNEW THAT THIS WAS THE REAL THING, THAT THIS WAS NOT AN EXERCISE, AND SO OUR ATTITUDES CHANGED, WE BECAME MORE DETERMINED, MORE PROFESSIONAL, WE FOCUSED, AND WE WENT TO OUR STATIONS READY FOR ACTION.

Narrator

KENNEDY ORDERS A RING OF SHIPS TO SURROUND CUBA AND THE CARIBBEAN AND STOP THE FLOW OF ANY MORE SOVIET WEAPONRY. NEWS THAT THE SOVIETS SMUGGLED NUCLEAR WEAPONS INTO CUBA EXPLODES ACROSS THE NATION. I'D HATE LIKE HECK TO SEE US GO TO WAR, BUT IF IT'S NECESSARY TO PREVENT A NUCLEAR WAR, I THINK THE ACTION HAS TO BE TAKEN AT THIS TIME. WELL, I THINK IT'S HIGH TIME WE STOPPED RUSSIA FROM HAVING THINGS HER OWN WAY. I KNOW THAT SOME ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN...

Blanton

AND AT THE TIME, I WAS A SCHOOL KID IN THIRD GRADE IN ELLISVILLE, MISSISSIPPI. THEY HAD ME GO UNDER MY DESK MULTIPLE TIMES THAT WEEK IN OCTOBER 1962 BECAUSE WE WERE WITHIN RANGE OF THOSE MEDIUM-RANGE MISSILES FROM CUBA.

Narrator

BUT THE RISING TENSIONS ARE NOT REPORTED IN RUSSIA. LIFE CONTINUES AS NORMAL. OCTOBER 22, 1962. KENNEDY INCREASES AMERICA'S DEFENSE READINESS CONDITION FROM 4 TO DEFCON 3 FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY. 22 INTERCEPTOR AIRCRAFT ARE ORDERED TO PATROL THE SEA. WE NEVER UNDERESTIMATED THE RUSSIANS. WE ALWAYS ASSUMED THAT THEY WERE STRONG AS WE WERE AND IT WAS OUR JOB TO OUTWIT THEM, TO OUTTRAIN THEM. IT WOULD BE LIKE TWO PRIZE FIGHTERS KNOWING THAT NOMINALLY THEY HAD THE SAME CAPABILITIES TO KNOCK THE OTHER GUY OUT. BELOW THE WAVES, THE CREW OF B-59 HAS BEEN AWAY FROM HOME FOR 3 1/2 WEEKS... AND THEY ARE FEELING MORE AND MORE ISOLATED AND CUT OFF FROM MOSCOW. RADIO OPERATOR VADIM ORLOV WOULD LATER DESCRIBE THE SITUATION TO TOM BLANTON AT THE U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVES.

Blanton

THEY WEREN'T GETTING COMMUNICATIONS FROM MOSCOW. THEY WERE LISTENING TO MIAMI RADIO STATIONS.

Man on radio

THE "WASHINGTON POST" SAYS THIS MORNING THAT RUSSIAN MILITARY ATTACHS AT A SOVIET EMBASSY RECEPTION... ON MIAMI RADIO, THE STORIES ARE ABOUT IMPENDING U.S. INVASION OF CUBA. ON MIAMI RADIO IT'S DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FLOTILLA OFFSHORE, IT'S DESCRIPTIONS OF TOTAL MOBILIZATION.

SONAR PINGING

Man on radio

NBC RADIO NEWS ON THE HOUR, BROUGHT TO YOU BY TOTAL.

Narrator

AMERICAN RADIO EVEN SPECULATES THAT THERE MIGHT BE ENEMY SUBMARINE ACTIVITY IN THE AREA.

Ketov

WE COULD NOT GET ANY CONTACT WITH MOSCOW, AND WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON. EVERYTHING I KNEW AND EVERYTHING I DID WAS BY LISTENING TO KENNEDY ON THE RADIO. KEEP LISTENING.

RADIO CHATTER

Narrator

WHILE THE LACK OF CONTACT WITH MOSCOW IS A PROBLEM, THE MEN ARE FACING A MORE SERIOUS RISK. A PREVIOUS DISASTER ABOARD ANOTHER SUBMARINE HAS MADE THE CHANCES OF DISCOVERY MUCH GREATER. A YEAR BEFORE, A NUCLEAR REACTOR ON BOARD THE SUB K-19, ONE OF THE FIRST RUSSIAN NUCLEAR SUBS, FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY. 8 MEN DIED FROM RADIATION POISONING AS THEY TRIED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. VASILI ARKHIPOV WAS ABOARD THE K-19 AND WITNESSED THE DISASTER.

ARKHIPOVA SPEAKING RUSSIAN

Narrator

HE MUST HAVE REALLY FELT IT. HE HAD SEEN WHAT RADIATION HAD DONE TO PEOPLE. HE HAD SEEN IT WITH HIS OWN EYES WHEN SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO'D BEEN IN THE NUCLEAR REACTOR WERE CARRIED OUT. IT WAS A TRAGEDY, A REAL TRAGEDY. THIS TRAGEDY WAS THE REASON THAT WE WOULD SAY NO TO NUCLEAR WAR. FOLLOWING THE K-19 DISASTER, THE SOVIET NAVY MOTHBALLED THEIR NUCLEAR SUBS. THE ONLY SUBS NOW AVAILABLE FOR THIS MISSION ARE DIESEL ELECTRICS, AND DIESEL ELECTRICS MUST SURFACE TO CHARGE THEIR BATTERIES. BATTERIES ARE DOWN TO 20%. BEGIN PREPARATIONS TO SURFACE. BUT DESPITE THE SHORTCOMINGS OF THEIR EQUIPMENT, THE CAPTAINS OF THE SOVIET SUBS HAVE ONE TRICK UP THEIR SLEEVES. THEY CAN PERFORM MAGIC... AND MAKE A 330-FOOT STEEL HULK JUST DISAPPEAR. THE OCEANS ARE NATURALLY BROKEN DOWN INTO LAYERS OF DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES, AND THESE DIFFERENT LAYERS BREAK UP THE SPEED OF SONAR WAVES, MAKING SUBMARINES IMPOSSIBLE TO TRACK.

Bradick

THE OCEAN IS NEVER CONSISTENT IN ITS TEMPERATURE. IF YOU TOOK A THERMOMETER AND YOU AND YOU SWAM DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA, AS YOU WOULD GO DOWN, YOU WOULD NOTICE THAT THE TEMPERATURE CHANGES. THESE ARE KNOWN AS ISOTHERMAL LAYERS, AND DIVING UNDERNEATH ONE MAKES A SUB HARDER TO TRACK. DIVE 100 METERS.

Slaughter

AS ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE HUNTERS, WE WERE ALWAYS FOCUSED ON THE THERMAL CONDITIONS OF THE WATER.

Narrator

A COOL LAYER OF WATER HAS A DIFFERENT DENSITY THAN A WARMER LAYER. A SONAR PING LITERALLY BOUNCES OFF THE LINE BETWEEN THE TWO.

Slaughter

IT'S THE MOST DIFFICULT THING TO DEAL WITH WHEN YOU'RE IN THE ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE BUSINESS. IF A SUBMARINE CAN GET BELOW THAT THERMAL LAYER, THEY'RE BETTER OFF HIDING UNDER THERE.

Narrator

85% OF THE ENTIRE ATLANTIC FLEET IS NOW ON THE HUNT FOR ANY VESSEL THAT MIGHT ATTEMPT TO BREAK KENNEDY'S BLOCKADE.

SPEAKING RUSSIAN

Narrator

KHRUSHCHEV COUNTERS KENNEDY'S QUARANTINE WITH THE THREAT THAT STOPPING AND SEARCHING OF ANY RUSSIAN SHIP WILL BE CONSIDERED AN ACT OF PIRACY. 40 DESTROYERS, 4 AIRCRAFT CARRIERS, AND 358 AIRCRAFT ARE NOW EFFECTIVELY HUNTING FOR ANY SOVIET VESSEL THAT MIGHT BE SMUGGLING WEAPONS. IT HAS BECOME THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME OF CAT AND MOUSE IN HISTORY. ON OCTOBER 24, KENNEDY PUSHES AMERICA'S WAR READINESS ALERT UP TO DEFCON 2. ACCORDING TO THESE RATINGS, THE NEXT STOP IS NUCLEAR WAR. ON BOARD THE SUB, THE TIME SPENT IN THE WARMER WATERS OF THE SARGASSO SEA HAS CAUSED CONDITIONS TO DETERIORATE EVEN FURTHER. THE AIR CONDITIONING HAS FAILED, AND TEMPERATURES ARE RISING.

Ketov

THE TEMPERATURE WENT UP TO 60-65 DEGREES. IN THE DIESEL SECTION, IT WAS OVER 70 DEGREES, AND IT WASN'T JUST FOR 5 OR 10 MINUTES. IT WAS FOR HOURS. ALL THE TIME THE CREW WERE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS.

Narrator

RUSSIA'S DIESEL ELECTRIC FLEET IS DESIGNED TO FUNCTION IN THE COLD ARCTIC SEAS, TEMPERATURES OF 37 DEGREES. THE WATER TEMPERATURE IN THE SARGASSO SEA IS IN THE MID-80s. THE SUBS ARE BEGINNING TO OVERHEAT. THE COOLEST PART OF THE SUB IS AT EACH END BY THE TORPEDO PODS. THERE IT IS ONLY AROUND 110 DEGREES. CREW MEMBERS ARE ALLOWED THERE FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME.

Bradick

WHEN I WAS IN ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE SCHOOL, IT WAS THE ONLY TIME I WAS ON BOARD A DIESEL-POWERED SUBMARINE FOR A PERIOD OF JUST A DAY, AND IT WAS AWFUL-- THE STINK OF DIESEL OIL AND THE SMELL OF ACID FROM THE BATTERIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, AND WE WERE OUT JUST FOR THE DAY, AND IT WAS QUITE ENOUGH FOR ME, THANK YOU.

Narrator

RATIONS ARE DIMINISHING. EACH MAN IS LIMITED TO A SINGLE GLASS OF WATER PER DAY. THE RADIO OPERATOR OF B-59 VADIM ORLOV TOLD HIS STORY TO THE U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVE IN THE YEARS BEFORE HIS DEATH. ORLOV WAS DESCRIBING TERRIBLE CONDITIONS ON THESE SUBMARINES. THEY WERE NOT MADE FOR WARM WATERS, AND THEY WERE TERRIBLE EQUIPMENT THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED, AND IT WAS A HEIGHT OF RECKLESSNESS TO SEND THIS EQUIPMENT OFF WITH NUCLEAR CAPACITY.

Ketov

WHAT MAN IN HIS RIGHT MIND WOULD SEND A DIESEL SUBMARINE ON THAT KIND OF MISSION? ONLY A MADMAN, ONLY SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW THE SITUATION AT ALL.

Narrator

AND STILL A WEEK AFTER ARRIVING IN THE SARGASSO SEA, B-59 HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY NEW ORDERS FROM MOSCOW. THE DAILY ROUTINE CONSISTS OF STAYING HIDDEN FROM AMERICAN SUB HUNTERS.

SONAR PINGS

STATIC CRACKLING

AIRPLANE FLYING

Narrator

PLANE OVERHEAD! PLANE OVERHEAD! CRASH DIVE! CRASH DIVE! CRASH DIVE! HOW MUCH CHARGE? BARELY 5%.

ALARM BLARING

Narrator

THAT'S ONLY 6 HOURS. BATTERY ROOM, CAN YOU CONFIRM THE CHARGE? THE CHARGE!

SPEAKING RUSSIAN

Narrator

EMERGENCY DIVE IF YOU ARE SURFACED TAKES ABOUT 30 SECONDS. PART OF THE SHIP TAKES ON WATER, AND THE SHIP PRACTICALLY SINKS LIKE A ROCK TILL A CERTAIN DEPTH. WITH SPOTTER PLANES OVERHEAD, B-59 IS FORCED TO DIVE WITH ONLY ENOUGH CHARGE IN ITS BATTERIES TO STAY HIDDEN FOR 6 HOURS. IS IT STILL IN RANGE? THAT'S WHY THE SITUATION WAS GETTING HARDER, AND WE COULDN'T CHARGE OUR BATTERIES ANYMORE. THE SAILORS ON B-59 HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER THEIR COVER HAS BEEN BLOWN, BUT BACK IN WASHINGTON, COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS EXPLODE INTO LIFE. THE SUB HAS BEEN SPOTTED.

Slaughter

WE HAD SO MANY WEAPONS AND SO MANY SONARS. HE WAS LIKE A RABBIT INSIDE A SMALL CAGE, AND 15 OF US HOUNDS OUTSIDE THE CAGE AND 15 HAWKS ABOVE THE CAGE. THAT RABBIT WAS DEAD.

Narrator

THE U.S. FLEET IS TRYING TO GET A LOCK ON THE SUB. SONAR BUOYS, LISTENING DEVICES, ARE THROWN INTO THE SEA, AND THE TEMPERATURE OF THE ATLANTIC IS CONTINUALLY ANALYZED. WITH THE WEATHER SETTLING DOWN, THE OCEAN HAS BECOME A STABLE, SINGLE BODY OF WATER WITH NO ISOTHERMAL LAYERS. THE SOVIETS' INVISIBILITY CLOAK HAS STARTED TO FAIL THEM.

Bradick

OUR EQUIPMENT WAS WORKING PERFECTLY, MY SAILORS WERE DOING A MARVELOUS JOB OF TRACKING THIS GUY. THE WATER CONDITIONS WERE GOOD, SO BY THE END OF TWO HOURS, WE REALLY KNEW WE HAD HIM. WHILE THE PRESSURE ON THE RUSSIAN SUBMARINERS INTENSIFIES, THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GO VERY WRONG FOR THE AMERICANS.

Stoessinger

I REMEMBER SEEING AN AIDE COME IN TO THE OVAL OFFICE, AND THE AIDE WHISPERED INTO THE PRESIDENT'S EAR, AND THEN HE DREW HIMSELF UP TO HIS FULL HEIGHT, AND SAID, THE PRESIDENT SAID, "WE'VE HAD A CASUALTY."

Narrator

FLYING AT 70,000 FEET OVER CUBA, A SPY PLANE IS SHOT DOWN, KILLING THE PILOT.

Stoessinger

PRESIDENT KENNEDY TURNED VISIBLY WHITE. HE GOT PALE. IT WAS AN ACT OF WAR.

Man

WAS SHOT DOWN OVER BANES, WHICH IS RIGHT NEAR A U-2 SITE, IN EASTERN CUBA.

Narrator

THE MISSILE FIRED IS ONE OF THOSE SECRETLY SUPPLIED TO CASTRO BY THE SOVIETS.

Kennedy

WELL, THIS IS MUCH OF AN ESCALATION BY THEM, ISN'T IT?

Narrator

MAJOR RUDOLF ANDERSON IS THE FIRST PERSON TO DIE IN THE CONFLICT. ALL-OUT WAR IS NOW A STEP CLOSER. THE U.S.S. CONY CONTINUES SCOURING THE SEAS.

00 OR 5

00 IN THE AFTERNOON.

Narrator

AMERICAN RECONNAISSANCE REVEALS THE POSSIBLE PRESENCE OF 3 ENEMY SUBS. WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW IS THAT THEIR TARGETS CARRY ENOUGH NUCLEAR WEAPONRY TO DESTROY THE ENTIRE ATLANTIC FLEET.

Slaughter

WE WERE ALL EXHILARATED, THERE WAS NO FEAR, WE KNEW OUR JOBS, AND WE WERE JUST KIND OF RUBBING OUR HANDS, SAYING, "GOD, WE AT LAST GET A CHANCE TO PLAY WHAT WE'VE BEEN PRACTICING TO DO FOR ALL THESE YEARS," AND THAT'S WHAT IF FELT LIKE. WE FELT PRIVILEGED TO BE ABLE TO SHOW OUR STUFF.

Bradick

NO SUBMARINER LIKES TO BE DETECTED PERIOD. THEIR BUSINESS IS STEALTH. WHEN YOU FOUND THEM, THEY DIDN'T LIKE IT. THEY DON'T LIKE THAT.

Narrator

AS THE MEN OF B-59 SUFFER IN THE HEAT, THE SUB HAS LITTLE POWER TO ESCAPE THE WORLD'S MOST ADVANCED NAVAL FLEET.

Bradick

HUNT TO EXHAUSTION. YOU WOULD KEEP CONTACT ON THE SUBMARINE UNTIL HE HAD TO SURFACE BECAUSE HIS BATTERIES ARE GOING FLAT. SO WHEN HIS BATTERIES WERE EXHAUSTED, HE HAD TO COME TO THE SURFACE AND RECHARGE HIS BATTERIES.

Slaughter

FRANKLY I DON'T THINK WE FELT VERY SYMPATHETIC AT ALL. THEY WERE THE ENEMY.

Narrator

KENNEDY HAS ALREADY ORDERED STRICT PROTOCOL UPON FINDING AN ENEMY SUB. ON NO ACCOUNT SHOULD IT BE ATTACKED. RATHER THEY SHOULD DRIVE IT TO THE SURFACE.

Man

HERE IS THE EXACT SITUATION. WE HAVE DEPTH CHARGES THAT HAVE SUCH A SMALL CHARGE THAT THEY CAN BE DROPPED AND THEY CAN ACTUALLY HIT THE SUBMARINE WITHOUT DAMAGING THE SUBMARINE. THEY'RE PRACTICE DEPTH CHARGES.

Kennedy

THINK WE OUGHT TO WAIT ON THAT TODAY. WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THE FIRST THING WE ATTACK AS A SOVIET SUBMARINE.

Narrator

KENNEDY SENDS A MESSAGE TO MOSCOW. HIS NAVY WILL NOW ATTEMPT TO SURFACE A SOVIET SUB, BUT KENNEDY DOESN'T HAVE THE WHOLE STORY. MOSCOW HAS HAD NO CONTACT WITH HER SUBS.

Ketov

WE COULD ONLY GUESS WHAT WAS GOING ON BY WATCHING WHAT THE AMERICANS WERE DOING. ONLY BY WHAT WE SAW COULD WE JUDGE WHAT WAS GOING ON. IS THERE A WAR? WHAT'S HAPPENING?

Narrator

THE SUB HUNTERS HAVE SONAR DEVICES CAPABLE OF GENERATING EXTREME, LOCALIZED SOUNDS.

LOUD CLANG

Bradick

THE SONAR ITSELF IS LIKE A BIG SPEAKER LIKE YOU HAVE IN YOUR HOUSE.

CLANG, FEEDBACK

Slaughter

OUR SONAR COULD ESSENTIALLY BE USED AS AN OFFENSIVE WEAPON.

CLANG

Slaughter

IT WAS LIKE THERE ARE 5 HUGE MEN POUNDING ON THE BARREL, AND EVERY DESTROYER IN ANY CLOSE PROXIMITY-- AND THERE WERE 3 OR 4 SORT OF CIRCLING ROUND US-- WERE DOING THE SAME THING. IT'S GOT TO DRIVE THEM CRAZY.

CLANG

Narrator

IN WASHINGTON, IT'S LATE AFTERNOON. THE ENTIRE CRISIS IS NOW FOCUSED ON A SINGLE SOVIET SUBMARINE, CORNERED AND UNPREDICTABLE. TENSIONS ARE AT THEIR BREAKING POINT.

Stoessinger

I SAW DEFENSE SECRETARY McNAMARA TAKE DEAN RUSK TO THE SIDE AND SAID, "THE SUN IS SETTING. IT COULD BE THE LAST SUNSET WE WILL EVER SEE," AND THAT'S WHEN I GOT SCARED.

Narrator

THE AMERICANS HAVE BEEN TRACKING B-59 FOR TWO HOURS.

CLANG

Slaughter

WE WEREN'T TRYING TO KILL THEM. WE COULD WE COULD HAVE VERY EASILY KILLED THAT SUBMARINE. WE WANTED TO HARASS IT. WE KNEW THEY WERE PROBABLY HAVING DIFFICULTY BREATHING. IT WAS HOT AS HELL IN THERE, IT WAS MISERABLE, THEY WERE CRAMPED TOGETHER, AND THEY HAD BEEN UNDER GREAT STRAIN FOR A LONG TIME. SO WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO IS BASICALLY APPLY PASSIVE TORTURE.

CLANG

Bradick

THE TYPICAL RESPONSE WOULD BE IF HE WANTED TO COME TO THE SURFACE HE WOULD FIRE A FLARE, AND WE WOULD SAY, "YOU'RE CLEAR TO SURFACE," BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

Narrator

THE MEN ABOARD B-59 ARE FRIGHTENED AND CONFUSED.

BOOM

Narrator

WITH NO NEW ORDERS IN OVER A WEEK, B-59 HAS NO IDEA THE DEPTH CHARGES ARE MEANT AS A WARNING.

Slaughter

WE DROPPED THE 5 PRACTICE DEPTH CHARGES TO INVITE THE SUBMARINE TO COME TO THE SURFACE.

SPEAKING RUSSIAN

Slaughter

THERE IS A SPECIFIC SIGNAL THAT WE HAVE, AND THAT IS 3 EXPLOSIONS, GRENADE EXPLOSIONS, WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE TO SURFACE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE AMERICANS WERE DOING, BUT IT WASN'T 3.

Narrator

THE AMERICAN SIGNAL TO SURFACE IS DIFFERENT FROM THE RUSSIANS'. ANY WORD FROM MOSCOW? COMMUNICATIONS HAVE COMPLETELY BROKEN DOWN. THE CONY'S SLOW TORTURE OF B-59 CONTINUES FOR 5 HOURS.

EXPLOSIONS

BEEPING

Narrator

WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL WE HEAR FROM MOSCOW. LEONENKO, GET TO THE BRIDGE.

Mikhailov

SAVITSKI NEVER LOST IT. HE JUST MADE A DECISION. SIR! IT'S TIME TO LOAD THE SPECIAL WEAPON. SIR. GIVE ME YOUR KEY, MASSLENIKOV.

Narrator

WITHERING TEMPERATURES EXCEEDING 120 DEGREES, NO CONTACT WITH HOME... A SHIP VIRTUALLY OUT OF POWER... IT'S TIME TO LOAD THE SPECIAL WEAPON. AND NOW SEEMINGLY UNDER ATTACK. COME ON! WE WILL SINK ALL THE FLEET, BUT WE WILL NOT HUMILIATE RUSSIA.

KETOV SPEAKING RUSSIAN

Narrator

SAVITSKI WAS AN IMPULSIVE MAN, BUT IN HIS MIND AT THAT MOMENT, HE MADE A CORRECT DECISION. GIVE ME YOUR KEY, MASSLENIKOV. WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? YOUR KEY, MASSLENIKOV.

Arkhipova

HE HAD NO RIGHTS BECAUSE VASILI WAS IN CHARGE. HE WAS THE COMMANDER OF THE FLEET OF ALL THE SHIPS, BUT SAVITSKI WAS THE COMMANDER OF THIS SHIP. "THE COMMANDER IS THE SECOND IN COMMAND AFTER GOD." THESE ARE THE RULES THE SUBMARINES LIVE BY.

EXPLOSION

Arkhipova

WE DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS AN ATTACK. FOR ALL WE KNOW, THEY ARE TRYING TO SURFACE US.

Narrator

THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD NOW RESTS ON VASILI ARKHIPOV'S SHOULDERS. WE HAVE ORDERS TO DEFEND OURSELVES. YOU MAY BE CAPTAIN OF THIS SHIP, BUT I AM COMMANDER OF THIS FLEET, AND YOU NEED MY PERMISSION.

Ketov

VASILI ARKHIPOV WAS OUR COMMANDER OF THE FLEET. HE WAS A SUBMARINER AND A CLOSE FRIEND OF MINE. HE WAS A FAMILY FRIEND. HE STOOD OUT FOR BEING COOL-HEADED. HE WAS IN CONTROL, HE WAS A REAL SUBMARINER. TWO OF US HAVE AGREED. DO I HAVE YOUR PERMISSION? NO. YOU NEED ALL 3 OF US.

ARKHIPOVA SPEAKING RUSSIAN

Ketov

HE KNEW THAT IT WAS MADNESS TO FIRE A NUCLEAR TORPEDO. PLACE THE SPECIAL WEAPON IN THE INITIAL POSITION AND RESTORE PROTECTION.

ARKHIPOVA SPEAKING RUSSIAN

Ketov

AND ESPECIALLY THAT HE LIVED THROUGH THAT AND SAW IT. HE DIDN'T HESITATE TO SAY NO.

Slaughter

GOD ONLY BLESS THE MAN BECAUSE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED AFTER THAT? WE WOULD HAVE BEEN A NUCLEAR WAR WITH SOVIET RUSSIA, AND THERE WOULD MAYBE PERHAPS NOT BE A WORLD. IT'S TIME TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE AMERICANS. WE WERE ALREADY PREPARED TO USE NUCLEAR WEAPONS. WE HAD ALL OF OUR STRATEGIC AIRCRAFT READY TO FLY TO RUSSIA ARMED WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS, SO THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT WE WOULD HAVE NUCLEAR EXCHANGE WITH THE RUSSIANS IF THEIR NUCLEAR BALLISTIC MISSILES WORKED.

Narrator

THEIR COVER BLOWN, THE ORDEAL FOR THE MEN OF B-59 IS FINALLY OVER. EACH TAKES TIME TO LEAVE THE SUB AND BREATHE FRESH AIR. WE WERE STEAMING VERY CLOSE TO THE SUBMARINE. HE WAS ON OUR-- THE PORT SIDE, THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SHIP IN THE DARK WITH THE NIGHT LIGHTS ON. I WOULD SAY IT WAS ABOUT MIDNIGHT WHEN I FINALLY GOT UP THERE TO HAVE A LOOK AT THEM. THEY WEREN'T 7 FEET TALL, AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE FANGS COMING OUT OF THEIR MOUTH.

Slaughter

NOW I PERSONALLY NEVER HAD SEEN A RUSSIAN NAVAL OFFICER, AND AS FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED, HE WAS FROM CENTRAL CASTING. DOUR, SQUATTY FACED, AND HE WAS HE LOOKED PRETTY MEAN ACTUALLY.

Narrator

THE U.S. NAVY MAKES NO ATTEMPT TO BOARD B-59 AS IT LIES OUTSIDE KENNEDY'S QUARANTINE LINE. INSTEAD, THEY POINT HER IN THE DIRECTION OF HOME. THIS NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN FOOTAGE SHOT FROM ON BOARD THE CONY SHOWS THE STRICKEN SUB.

Slaughter

ONE OF THE SECOND-CLASS FIRE CONTROL TECHNICIAN, HE WAS ABLE TO SHOOT SOME 8 MILLIMETER FILM, AND TO SEE THAT FILM AND THAT SUBMARINE GOING OFF AWAY FROM OUR CONTROL WAS SOMEWHAT SADDENING BECAUSE HE WAS OUR CATCH. ONLY 1 OF THE 4 SUBS ESCAPED DETECTION, AND NONE OF THE OTHERS CAME CLOSE TO FIRING ON THE AMERICANS, BY THE END OF OCTOBER, A PEACE DEAL WAS BROKERED BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND MOSCOW. AT THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER, RUSSIAN MISSILES, HIDDEN UNDER TARPAULINS, WERE FILMED BEING WITHDRAWN FROM CUBA. AMERICA AGREED TO REMOVE HER MISSILES FROM TURKEY. THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS WAS OVER... BUT FOR THE SUBMARINERS ARRIVING HOME, THERE WAS DISGRACE.

Blanton

WHAT HEROISM, WHAT DUTY THEY FULFILLED TO GO HALFWAY ACROSS THE WORLD AND BACK AND SURVIVE, AND THEY WERE TREATED REALLY SHABBILY. IN FACT, I THINK ONE OF THE SOVIET ADMIRALS TOLD THE COMMANDERS "IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF YOU'D GONE DOWN WITH YOUR SHIP." EXTRAORDINARY. "IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER HAD THEY DROWNED." YOU SEE, THIS IS WHAT THEY CALL A WELCOME. THAT'S WHY VASILI DIDN'T LIKE TALKING ABOUT IT. HE FELT THEY HADN'T APPRECIATED WHAT THEY HAD GONE THROUGH. WHEN I ASKED HIM ABOUT IT, HE SAID, "THAT'S ENOUGH".

Narrator

ARKHIPOV, THE MAN WHO SAVED THE WORLD, EVENTUALLY SUCCUMBED TO RADIATION POISONING FROM THE K-19 DISASTER. HE BECAME ILL AND DIED OF KIDNEY CANCER, AN AFFLICTION THAT TOOK MANY OTHERS WHO SERVED ON THE SUB. IT'S TAKEN 40 YEARS FOR THE TRUE DANGER THE WORLD FACED TO COME TO LIGHT. IN 2002, VADIM ORLOV, TOLD HIS STORY AT A PRESS CONFERENCE.

ORLOV SPEAKING RUSSIAN

Narrator

BEFORE THIS, NO ONE HAD ANY IDEA THE SUBS WERE EVEN ARMED WITH ATOMIC WEAPONS LET ALONE THAT THE ACTIONS OF A SINGLE MAN PREVENTED ONE FROM BEING LAUNCHED.

ARKHIPOVA SPEAKING RUSSIAN

Narrator

IN CUBA, IN HONOR OF THE 40th ANNIVERSARY OF THE CRISIS, PEOPLE GATHERED. THERE WAS THE AMERICAN MINISTER OF DEFENSE McNAMARA, THERE WERE REPRESENTATIVES FROM RUSSIA, AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT, AND THEY SAID THAT THE PERSON WHO PREVENTED A NUCLEAR WAR WAS THE RUSSIAN SUBMARINER, VASILI ARKHIPOV. I WAS PROUD, AND I AM PROUD OF MY HUSBAND. ALWAYS. CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY FRIENDS OF NCI CAPTIONED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE --www.ncicap.org-- THE "SECRETS OF THE DEAD" INVESTIGATION CONTINUES ONLINE. FOR MORE IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS AND STREAMING VIDEO OF THIS AND OTHER EPISODES, VISIT PBS.ORG. THIS "SECRETS OF THE DEAD" EPISODE IS AVAILABLE ON DVD FOR $24.99 PLUS SHIPPING. TO ORDER, CALL 1-800-336-1917.