The history of the Cuban Missile Crisis - Matthew A. Jordan

譯者: Muyang Ji 審譯者: Qiyun Xing

It's not hard to imagine a world where at any given moment,

這樣的世界並不難想像：

在任何時刻

you and everyone you know could be wiped out without warning

你和你認識的每一個人 都可能在無預警下消失

at the push of a button.

只因某人按下一個按鈕

This was the reality for millions of people during the 45-year period

這就是二次世界大戰後 45 年間 數百萬人的現實寫照

after World War II,

now known as the Cold War.

現在我們稱之為冷戰

As the United States and Soviet Union faced off across the globe,

當時美國與蘇聯在全世界角力

each knew that the other had nuclear weapons capable of destroying it.

雙方都知道對方有核武可以摧毀世界

And destruction never loomed closer than during the 13 days

而大毀滅從沒像為期十三天的

of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

古巴飛彈危機這麼逼近過

In 1961, the U.S. unsuccessfully tried to overthrow Cuba's new communist government.

1961 年，美國試圖推翻 古巴的新共產政權卻失敗了

That failed attempt was known as the Bay of Pigs,

此次失敗稱為豬玀灣事件

and it convinced Cuba to seek help from the U.S.S.R.

並使古巴相信必須要尋求蘇聯的幫助

Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev was happy to comply

蘇聯首腦尼基塔·赫魯雪夫

非常樂意遵從

by secretly deploying nuclear missiles to Cuba,

他秘密地在古巴部署核武

not only to protect the island,

不但要保護這個島嶼

but to counteract the threat from U.S. missiles in Italy and Turkey.

還要抵抗美國在義大利 及土耳其部署的飛彈危機

By the time U.S. intelligence discovered the plan,

等到美國情報單位發現這個計畫時

the materials to create the missiles were already in place.

要部署飛彈的材料已經到位

At an emergency meeting on October 16, 1962,

於是在 1962 年十月十六日 召開一場緊急會議

military advisors urged an airstrike on missile sites

軍事顧問敦促對飛彈地點進行空襲

and invasion of the island.

並侵略該島

But President John F. Kennedy chose a more careful approach.

但是美國總統約翰·甘迺迪 選擇更小心的做法

On October 22, he announced that the the U.S. Navy

十月二十二日，他宣布美國海軍

would intercept all shipments to Cuba.

要攔截所有進入古巴的船隻

There was just one problem:

但這有一個問題：

a naval blockade was considered an act of war.

海軍封鎖相當於作戰

Although the President called it a quarantine

雖然美國總統稱之為隔離

that did not block basic necessities,

此舉沒有阻斷基本必需品

the Soviets didn't appreciate the distinction.

蘇聯並不領情

In an outraged letter to Kennedy,

赫魯雪夫寫了一封 措詞激烈的信給甘迺迪

Khrushchev wrote, "The violation of freedom to use international waters

他說：「侵害自由使用國際海域

and international airspace is an act of aggression

及國際空域的權利就是侵略行為

which pushes mankind toward the abyss of world nuclear missile war."

將人類推向世界核戰的深淵」

Thus ensued the most intense six days of the Cold War.

隨之而來的是冷戰最緊張的六天

While the U.S. demanded the removal of the missiles,

美國要求移除飛彈

Cuba and the U.S.S.R insisted they were only defensive.

古巴與蘇聯卻堅決主張他們只是防禦

And as the weapons continued to be armed,

隨著軍備持續武裝

the U.S. prepared for a possible invasion.

美國準備著可能的侵略

On October 27, a spy plane piloted by Major Rudolph Anderson

十月二十七日

一架由魯道夫·安德森少校 駕駛的間諜飛機

was shot down by a Soviet missile.

被蘇聯飛彈擊落

The same day, a nuclear-armed Soviet submarine was hit by a small-depth charge

同一天，蘇聯核子潛艇

被美國海軍艦艇發射的 一枚深水炸彈打到

from a U.S. Navy vessel trying to signal it to come up.

此艦艇原本只是想逼 蘇聯潛艇浮出水面

The commanders on the sub, too deep to communicate with the surface,

蘇聯潛艇艦長因潛水很深 無法與莫斯科通訊

thought war had begun and prepared to launch a nuclear torpedo.

以為戰爭已經爆發 因此準備要發射核子魚雷

That decision had to be made unanimously by three officers.

這樣的決定必須得到 三位軍官一致同意

The captain and political officer both authorized the launch,

艦長與政委都授權發射

but Vasili Arkhipov, second in command, refused.

但是大副瓦西里·阿克西波夫不准

His decision saved the day and perhaps the world.

他的決定拯救了那一天 也可說是全世界

But the crisis wasn't over.

但是危機並未解除

For the first time in history,

這是史上第一次

the U.S. Military set itself to DEFCON 2,

美軍將戒備狀態設為二級

the defense readiness one step away from nuclear war.

其就緒狀態僅次於「爆發核戰」

With hundreds of nuclear missiles ready to launch,

幾百枚核彈準備發射

the metaphorical Doomsday Clock stood at one minute to midnight.

比喻性的末日之鐘 只剩一分鐘就進入子夜

But diplomacy carried on.

但是外交手段持續進行

In Washington, D.C., Attorney General Robert Kennedy

在首府華盛頓特區 司法部長羅伯特·甘迺迪

secretly met with Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin.

密會蘇維埃大使 阿納托利·多勃雷寧

After intense negotiation, they reached the following proposal.

在緊張的談判後，他們達成以下提議

The U.S. would remove their missiles from Turkey and Italy

美國要移除部署在 土耳其及義大利的飛彈

and promise to never invade Cuba

並承諾絕不侵略古巴

in exchange for the Soviet withdrawal from Cuba under U.N. inspection.

蘇聯則在聯合國檢查下 自古巴撤軍以作為交換

Once the meeting had concluded,

會議結束後

Dobrynin cabled Moscow saying time is of the essence

多勃雷寧即刻發電報到莫斯科 說明時間是最重要的因素

and we shouldn't miss the chance.

我們不應該錯失良機

And at 9 a.m. the next day,

隔天早上九點鐘

a message arrived from Khrushchev

赫魯雪夫電文

announcing the Soviet missiles would be removed from Cuba.

宣布蘇聯飛彈會從古巴移除

The crisis was now over.

危機於此刻解除

While criticized at the time by their respective governments

雖然各自的政府都在當時批評此舉

for bargaining with the enemy,

認為不該與敵人協議

contemporary historical analysis shows great admiration

當代的歷史分析卻對他們極為讚賞

for Kennedy's and Khrushchev's ability to diplomatically solve the crisis.

因為甘迺迪與赫魯雪夫 能以外交能力解決此危機

But the disturbing lesson was that a slight communication error,

但是令人不安的教訓是 即使是一點點溝通錯誤

or split-second decision by a commander, could have thwarted all their efforts,

或指揮官瞬間的決定 都可能使所有的努力受挫

as it nearly did if not for Vasili Arkhipov's courageous choice.

情況差點就演變成真

如果瓦西里·阿爾希波夫 沒有做出勇敢的選擇

The Cuban Missile Crisis revealed just how fragile human politics are

古巴飛彈危機顯示了 人類的政治是如此的脆弱

compared to the terrifying power they can unleash.

與他們可以釋放的可怕力量相比