The world almost ended on September 26, 1983

www.extremetech.com...

I thought this was an interesting story. It is hard to believe that the decisions of one man back in 1983 saved the entire world.



Who knows what other tragedies have been so narrowly averted?



[If this is a known hoax, I apologize. If not, it is very fascinating.]

Sounds a bit like the movie War Games. Good find! It is a a scary thought that something like a malfunction could destroy our civilization.

Very cool story, I don't believe its a hoax

Wiki

Stanislav Petrov - World Hero

Washington Post

and too many more links to mention.

What surprises me is the fact that they actually let this information surface.

As you said Karl, how many other close calls similar to this one have happened = Scary

Wow that was a fantastic read! I'll definitely pass this on. I know quite a few people that would really be interested in that.

I wonder how many things like that happen... you know, actually, on second thought I don't think I want to know.

Cheers

Yes, this really did happen. Apparently he didn't even tell his wife before she died.

Faulty warning system. He went above his Soviet superiors to make sure a counter-strike to the phony warning didn't go ahead - it was a new system and he was suspicious about its accuracy.

This is why I think a nuclear accident is far more likely than a rapid degeneration in the geopolitical world.

Eyes to the skies, especially since Pakistan and India have now both become nuclear-armed powers since then.



[edit on 7-10-2008 by mattguy404]

I remember when this happened. I had friends that were B-52 crew members. Of course they told their wives, and one of the wives let it slip to me one day at work. A couple years later I was talking to a navagator who verified that we almost went to war that day.
Scary! But at least I didn't know about it until after the fact.

reply to post by Karlhungis

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I saw a BBC documentary on this very subject. It's not a hoax, not a conspiracy - just a fantastic story of a very sane, very sensible person keeping their head under intense pressure.

Karlhungis, another excellent topic posted! I literally got cold shivers and goosebumps as I read the linked articles.

I wonder how many other "incidents" happened that we don't hear about.
MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) Days indeed!

I remember a documentary about him, it was pretty sad. For his actions he was demoted and never recieved another promition in the military. It pretty much ruined his life.

I think there is a movie being made about him.

Incredible. The world needs more people with reasoning as good as his.

Especially right now in these times

I'm disappointed that I'd never heard of this man until now. I wonder how he could be contacted, I'd like to at least send a letter or email to thank him, as we all should.

If there were any other problems of this nature, then they very likely occurred in the former Soviet Union -- not everything might have been disclosed.

Here is a list of other incidents that include the infamous exercise tape:
www.wagingpeace.org...

Excellent post as always Karl. He should have gone up for a Nobel peace prize had in not been classified.