The Singing Telegram That Almost Started World War III episode artwork

EPISODE · May 23, 2026 · 17 MIN

The Singing Telegram That Almost Started World War III

from The Rest of History · host Podcaster

In 1962, a Soviet submarine commander named Valentin Savitsky came within minutes of launching a nuclear torpedo during the Cuban Missile Crisis. What stopped him wasn't diplomacy or fear — it was a birthday song crackling through his radio at the worst possible moment, and one man's stubborn refusal to believe what he was hearing. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 23, 2026

Embed this episode

In 1962, a Soviet submarine commander named Valentin Savitsky came within minutes of launching a nuclear torpedo during the Cuban Missile Crisis. What stopped him wasn't diplomacy or fear — it was a birthday song crackling through his radio at the worst possible moment, and one man's stubborn refusal to believe what he was hearing.

Distinct summary based on available episode metadata or transcript content.

NOW PLAYING

The Singing Telegram That Almost Started World War III

0:00 17:35

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Rest of History?

This episode is 17 minutes long.

When was this The Rest of History episode published?

This episode was published on May 23, 2026.

Can I download this The Rest of History episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!