It's not hard to imagine a world where at any given moment,
不难想象，有这样一个世界，某个瞬间，
you and everyone you know could be wiped out without warning at the push of a button.
你和所有认识的人都毫无预警兆的灰飞烟灭，只需要按动某个按钮。
This was the reality for millions of people during the 45-year period after World War II, now known as the Cold War.
在二战之后45年间，这对于数百万人来说都曾是事实，这段时期如今被称为冷战。
As the United States and Soviet Union faced off across the globe,
当时美国和苏联在世界范围内对峙，
each knew that the other had nuclear weapons capable of destroying it.
他们知道，彼此拥有足以毁灭世界的核武器。
And destruction never loomed closer than during the 13 days of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
这种威胁，在古巴导弹危机的13天里曾史无前例的逼近人类。
In 1961, the U.S. unsuccessfully tried to overthrow Cuba's new communist government.
1961年，美国没能阻止古巴建立共产主义政府。
That failed attempt was known as the Bay of Pigs, and it convinced Cuba to seek help from the U.S.S.R.
这次失败，即是后世熟知的“猪湾事件”，而这次事件也促使古巴转向苏联寻求帮助。
Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev was happy to comply by secretly deploying nuclear missiles to Cuba,
当时苏联主席赫鲁晓夫非常乐意提供帮助：秘密地向古巴出售核导弹，
not only to protect the island, but to counteract the threat from U.S. missiles in Italy and Turkey.
不仅是为了保护古巴，也是为了平衡美国在意大利和土耳其设置导弹所带来的威胁。
By the time U.S. intelligence discovered the plan, the materials to create the missiles were already in place.
当美国情报部门发现这个计划，制造导弹的原材料已经准备妥当。
At an emergency meeting on October 16, 1962,
在1962年10月16日的紧急会议上，
military advisors urged an airstrike on missile sites and invasion of the island.
军事顾问煽风点火，提出空袭导弹发射基地，同时入侵古巴的方案。
But President John F. Kennedy chose a more careful approach.
但是当时的总统约翰·肯尼迪选择了更谨慎的方法。
On October 22, he announced that the the U.S. Navy would intercept all shipments to Cuba.
在10月22号，他宣布美国海军可以拦截所有通往古巴的船只。
There was just one problem: a naval blockade was considered an act of war.
这样做存在一个问题：海上封锁，视同战争。
Although the President called it a quarantine that did not block basic necessities,
虽然肯尼迪总统称之为隔离，并没有阻断基础物资的运输，
the Soviets didn't appreciate the distinction.
但是苏联显然对此无法苟同。
In an outraged letter to Kennedy, Khrushchev wrote,
在一封给肯尼迪的信中，赫鲁晓夫义愤填膺的写道：
'The violation of freedom to use international waters and international airspace is an act of aggression
“侵害他国自由使用公海和公共领空的权利，是一种侵略行为，
which pushes mankind toward the abyss of world nuclear missile war.'
这是会将人类推向世界核导弹战争的深渊。”
Thus ensued the most intense six days of the Cold War.
随之而来的是冷战中最紧张的六天。
While the U.S. demanded the removal of the missiles, Cuba and the U.S.S.R insisted they were only defensive.
美国坚持移除导弹，而古巴和苏联坚称自己只是出于自卫。
And as the weapons continued to be armed, the U.S. prepared for a possible invasion.
随着武器一步步装备完善，美国在为可能存在的入侵做准备。

On October 27, a spy plane piloted by Major Rudolph Anderson was shot down by a Soviet missile.
10月27日，一架由飞行员鲁道夫·安德逊少校驾驶的侦察机被苏联导弹击落。
The same day, a nuclear-armed Soviet submarine
同一天，苏联一艘核潜艇
was hit by a small-depth charge from a U.S. Navy vessel trying to signal it to come up.
被美国海军的深水炸弹攻击，意图标志该核潜艇位置。
The commanders on the sub, too deep to communicate with the surface,
此时，核潜艇上的指挥官因为水深无法与地面沟通，
thought war had begun and prepared to launch a nuclear torpedo.
误以为战争已经开始，准备发射载核鱼雷。
That decision had to be made unanimously by three officers.
这个决定需要三位军官一致通过。
The captain and political officer both authorized the launch, but Vasili Arkhipov, second in command, refused.
船长和政委都已经同意发射鱼雷，但是瓦西里·阿尔希波夫副官否决了该项决议。
His decision saved the day and perhaps the world. But the crisis wasn't over.
他的决定拯救了这一天，甚至可能拯救了世界。但是危机并未过去。
For the first time in history, the U.S. Military set itself to DEFCON 2,
这是史上第一次，美军进入全面戒备状态，
the defense readiness one step away from nuclear war.
这种状态离核战争只有一步之遥。
With hundreds of nuclear missiles ready to launch,
有数百个核导弹随时准备发射，
the metaphorical Doomsday Clock stood at one minute to midnight. But diplomacy carried on.
离末日之钟的敲响只有分毫之差。但是外交开始发挥作用。
In Washington, D.C., Attorney General Robert Kennedy secretly met with Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin.
在华盛顿特区，总指挥官罗伯特·肯尼迪秘密会见了苏联大使阿纳托利·杜布莱宁。
After intense negotiation, they reached the following proposal.
通过激烈的谈判，他们达成了以下决议。
The U.S. would remove their missiles from Turkey and Italy and promise to never invade Cuba
美国移除在土耳其和意大利设立的导弹，并且承诺永不侵略古巴，
in exchange for the Soviet withdrawal from Cuba under U.N. inspection.
作为交换，苏联军队将在联合国的监视下撤离古巴。
Once the meeting had concluded, Dobrynin cabled Moscow saying time is of the essence and we shouldn't miss the chance.
当会议结束，杜布莱宁给莫斯科发电报称时机可贵，我们不能错失良机。
And at 9 a.m. the next day, a message arrived from Khrushchev announcing the Soviet missiles would be removed from Cuba.
在第二天的早上9点，赫鲁晓夫发来消息，宣布苏联将移除古巴的导弹。
The crisis was now over.
危机得以解除。
While criticized at the time by their respective governments for bargaining with the enemy,
虽然当时他们被各自代表的政府所诟病，称其与虎谋皮，
contemporary historical analysis shows great admiration for Kennedy's and Khrushchev's ability to diplomatically solve the crisis.
但是当代史的分析对肯尼迪和赫鲁晓夫用外交手段解决了危机给予了极高的评价。
But the disturbing lesson was that a slight communication error, or split-second decision by a commander,
令人后怕的是，一个小小的沟通问题，或者指挥官一瞬间的决定，
could have thwarted all their efforts, as it nearly did if not for Vasili Arkhipov's courageous choice.
都能使他们的努力前功尽弃，如果没有瓦西里·阿尔希波夫的勇敢选择的话。
The Cuban Missile Crisis revealed just how fragile human politics are compared to the terrifying power they can unleash.
古巴导弹危机展现出，人类政治与我们所无法控制的可怕力量相比的脆弱性。