This resource is a part of the Cross-Curricular lesson series.
The Hunt for Red October, by Tom Clancy, documents the fictional story of a soviet submarine captain, Marko Ramios, who intends to defect to America with his crew of the submarine Red October. During the climax of the book, an underwater submarine battle occurs between the Soviets, the Americans, and Red October. Through reading selected passages of the text, and watching part or all of the movie dramatization, the students see a fictional, but well-researched, account of submarine disasters. They can then use this knowledge to research actual submarine disasters, their causes and outcomes, and possible ocean settings that may have contributed. While the book and film are fictional, the events are inspired by two true accounts: Valery Sablin’s failed mutiny on board the Storozhevoy in 1975, and the sinking of the diesel-electric powered submarine K-129 in 1960. Students can research these two incidents and compare and contrast non-fiction and fictional accounts of submarine disasters.
This resource is a part of the Cross-Curricular lesson series.