When Cooler Heads Prevailed

Photo: © Stan B.After I got over the initial shock of the rather startling and for all practical purposes, unknown bit of history contained in the previous post, I couldn't help but think what Vasili Arkhipov must have gone through as the one dissenting officer (of a required three) who steadfastly refused to launch a nuclear torpedo at American naval forces. The one sole vote that prevented nuclear Armageddon. You just know that was one super heated, supercharged exchange as he stalwartly refused to go along with them- a formidable nuclear exchange of its own as he was undoubtedly threatened and called every name in the book including coward and traitor to the motherland with the rest of his crew in that submerged coffin more than likely thinking much the same... All that occurring simultaneously as American depth charges are exploding all around threatening to end the whole lot of them at any second!And cooler heads, or at least- one cool dude prevailed. How many millions were wiped…