During the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, the United States and the Soviet Union narrowly escaped a devastating nuclear conflict. Amid tense negotiations between President John F. Kennedy and Premier Nikita Khrushchev, a potential nuclear war was averted due to a confused Soviet submarine captain.

The B-59 submarine, armed with a powerful nuclear missile, was ordered to attack American forces if provoked. When the U.S. navy dropped depth charges near the submarine, Captain Valentin Savitski, believing war had started, ordered the missile launch. However, fleet commander Vasili Alexandrovich Arkhipov, recognizing the situation differently, successfully persuaded Savitski to stand down, preventing a catastrophic nuclear confrontation.

On April 22, 1951, during the Korean War, the Chinese Army launched the Spring Offensive, deploying 300,000 troops against American forces. Two days into the offensive, as American forces faced overwhelming attacks, a unit from the 8th Ranger Company, led by Commander E.C. Rivera, found itself isolated. Rivera called for help, but the remaining American forces opted to retreat.

In a decisive act of disobedience, Lieutenant Dave Teich defied his captain’s orders and dispatched four tanks to Hill 628, rescuing Rivera and his 65 stranded men from imminent danger.

Desmond Doss, during World War II, didn’t violate any rules when he registered as a conscientious objector for the US military, joining over 72,000 others who made a similar choice. Despite being offered a draft deferment after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Doss enlisted as an objector, driven by a desire to serve his country without taking lives due to his religious beliefs.

As a combat medic for the 77th Infantry, he refused to carry a weapon and faced criticism from fellow soldiers. However, Doss earned the respect of his squadmates in combat, receiving a Bronze Star for heroism on Leyte and becoming renowned for saving approximately 75 wounded soldiers under heavy gunfire during the Battle of Okinawa. His actions led to him being awarded the Medal of Honor, making him the sole conscientious objector in WWII to receive this honor.

During WWII, the 2/48th Battalion of the Australian 9th Infantry Division emerged as Australia’s most decorated unit, with Lt. Thomas “Diver” Derrick standing out as one of its highly decorated and revered soldiers. His notable feat occurred during the Battle of Sattelberg in New Guinea in November 1943. Facing a stalled advance and a commanding officer ordering a retreat, Derrick boldly declared, “Bugger the CO, just give me 20 minutes and we’ll have this place.”

Undeterred, Derrick single-handedly advanced uphill through the jungle, clearing out 10 Japanese machine gun positions with covering fire from his squadmates. His fearless actions not only secured the unit’s objective but also earned him the Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration. Tragically, Derrick sustained severe injuries during the Battle of Tarakan in May 1945, ultimately succumbing the following day.

During the Allied invasion of northern France on D-Day in June 1944, followed by the capture of Paris in August, Adolf Hitler ordered local forces to burn down the city to prevent it from falling into enemy hands. This directive included destroying vital infrastructure, war-related facilities, and iconic landmarks like Notre Dame Cathedral and the Arc de Triomphe.

The commander of the First German Army, General Dietrich von Choltitz, refused to carry out these destructive orders. In his 1951 memoirs, von Choltitz claimed the orders lacked military value and criticized Hitler’s mental state. However, some French observers contend that Choltitz may have lacked the necessary troops to execute the orders and suggest that he later sought to reshape the narrative to protect his reputation.

In March 1945, Hitler issued the extreme Nero Decree, ordering the destruction of Germany’s infrastructure. Armaments minister Albert Speer, Hitler’s friend, recognized the devastating impact on civilians and issued delayed, encrypted alternate orders. The Nero Decree was not executed, and post-war, while credited for resisting it, Speer’s motivations included preserving buildings he had designed.

In WWI, the widespread use of machine guns transformed military tactics, leading to a shift from bayonet charges to trench warfare. On March 7, 1915, during an attack on German machine gun positions, the French 336th Infantry Regiment faced relentless charges.

When the divisional commander, General Geraud Reveilhac, ordered another charge, the 21st company refused, and subsequent orders to fire on his own troops were refused by artillery commander Colonel Berube. Despite this, Reveilhac retained command until February 1916, received honors after the war, and retired. The incident was later depicted in the film “Paths of Glory.”

The Rhine Mutiny in 14 CE, following the Roman military’s challenges in Illyricum and the Teutoburg Forest defeat, saw discontent among the Pannonian Legions. Germanicus, tasked with quelling the rebellion, initially pacified the mutinous soldiers by releasing veterans and paying their salaries.

However, a Senate delegation’s investigation reignited the mutiny. Threatened with harm to his family, Germanicus reproached the soldiers for endangering Augustus’s descendants, leading to the execution of ringleaders. Germanicus then successfully led the formerly rebellious soldiers on a Rhine expedition, confirming their loyalty.

In 1857, after a century of British East India Company rule marked by repression, rising tensions led to a planned revolt by Indian political leaders. The official outbreak of the Indian Mutiny occurred in the spring, triggered by 90 sepoys of the British 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry Regiment refusing to use Enfield rifle cartridges rumored to be greased with cow and pig fat due to religious objections. Following their court-martial on May 8th, the British quelled the mutiny, leading to direct British control over India and the establishment of the British Raj, lasting until 1947.

In the Battle of Gettysburg, General Daniel Sickles’ disobedience of orders is a subject of debate. As a Tammany Hall politician with presidential ambitions, Sickles sought to improve his reputation by raising a brigade at the outbreak of the Civil War. On July 2, 1863, despite Major General George S. Meade’s refusal, Sickles advanced his III Corps to a forward position, leaving Little Round Top undefended.

The subsequent Confederate attack forced Sickles to retreat, resulting in significant casualties. The defense of Little Round Top fell to other units, notably the 20th Maine under Colonel Joshua Chamberlain. Sickles argued that his insubordination helped the Army of the Potomac survive, a claim contested by many historians. Despite differing opinions, some still consider Sickles may have had a point.

A key figure in the fight against apartheid in South Africa, Mandela spent 27 years in prison for his activism. He later became the country’s first black president, playing a crucial role in transitioning South Africa to a multi-racial democracy.

Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, focusing on tree planting, conservation, and women’s rights. She was the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy, and peace.

Liu was a prominent critic of the Chinese government’s stance on democracy and human rights. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 while imprisoned for his involvement in drafting Charter 08, which called for political reforms in China.

Gandhi was famous for his philosophy of non-violent resistance (Satyagraha). His leadership in campaigns like the Salt March significantly contributed to India’s eventual independence.

An Italian astronomer and physicist, Galileo’s support of heliocentrism was controversial during his time, leading to his house arrest. His scientific discoveries laid the foundation for modern physics and astronomy.

Caesar’s crossing of the Rubicon River was an act of insubordination that ignited a civil war, leading to the end of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire.

Parks’ refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery, Alabama bus in 1955 sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement.

Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses challenged the Catholic Church’s practices, leading to the Protestant Reformation and reshaping Christian theology.

Meyer defied orders during the Battle of Ganjgal in Afghanistan, leading to the rescue of 36 soldiers and earning him the Medal of Honor.

A British Army soldier, Hellings risked his life in Afghanistan by disobeying orders to save a fellow soldier trapped in a minefield, demonstrating extraordinary bravery and commitment.

A soldier in the Israel Defence Forces, Rein’s actions during the Second Lebanon War, where he went against orders to protect his unit, earned him posthumous recognition for bravery.

A character in Greek tragedy, Antigone defies the king’s edict to bury her brother, symbolizing the moral obligation to resist unjust laws.

Thoreau’s refusal to pay a poll tax in protest against slavery and the Mexican-American War led to his brief imprisonment, inspiring his famous essay “Civil Disobedience.”

Initially a conscientious objector in World War I, York became one of the most decorated American soldiers in the war, known for leading an attack that resulted in the capture of over 100 German soldiers.

Gandhi’s 240-mile march to the sea to produce salt was a direct act of nonviolent protest against the British monopoly on salt in India, a significant step towards Indian independence.

Tubman is best known for her role in the Underground Railroad, leading dozens of enslaved people to freedom.

Pankhurst’s militant tactics were instrumental in gaining women the right to vote in the United Kingdom.

King was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement, advocating for nonviolent resistance to achieve civil rights for African Americans.

Anthony played a pivotal role in the fight for women’s rights, particularly the right to vote.

Wałęsa co-founded Solidarity, the Soviet bloc’s first independent trade union, playing a major role in the fall of communism in Eastern Europe.