To The Brink Of War

To The Brink Of War Exhibit is preserved as the film,
The Man Who Saved The World

Produced by the Maritime Museum of San Diego

The Man Who Saved The World is a depiction of a moment in the Cold War when the world came frighteningly close to an actual nuclear engagement amongst its two major superpowers. Hidden from public knowledge for forty years is this tense undersea story within the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. It’s one in which life on earth would be different now if not for the actions of a level-headed Russian Submarine Squadron Commander who performed with reason and rationality in a moment of remarkable stress. Appearing in this twenty-two-minute film are noted US submarine captains, a US naval commander, a Cold War Russian submariner, and a noted historian who all shed their perspectives on this unique cautionary tale.

Directed and Written by Chris Szwedo
Animation by Northern Lights Productions
Music by Chris Szwedo

RUSSIAN FOXTROT CLASS ATTACK SUBMARINE B-39 – No longer on exhibition.

B-39 was never a part of our permanent collections; it was a temporary exhibition vessel. Museum officials determined not to shift scarce resources away from the vessels in the Maritime Museum of San Diego’s historic fleet that are intended to be kept in perpetuity, in order to address the extensive cosmetic needs of the Foxtrot. The sub was taken to Ensenada and recycled in February 2022. Fans of the B-39 can still find educational information on our website, including an outstanding documentary film, “To The Brink Of War”.

Copyright Maritime Museum of San Diego