The man who saved millions of lives

LDahl · 10-08-2007, 11:50 PM

On September 1983 the world was closer to doomsday than it ever was...
24 years on - The man who saved millions of lives
Sat, 22 September 2007
The date is 1 September 1983 and the Cold War between the Soviet Union and USA is in full gear, when from the New York skies Korean Air Lines Flight 007 flies from JFK, destination Seoul, South Korea.

In the middle of the flight, while accidently passing through Soviet air space, Soviet fighter jets appear getting close the aircraft. The Soviets, who didn't know the plane contained civilians, warned the pilot that they will shoot down the aircraft if it doesn't identify itself, and the pilot, for some unknown reason, doesn't respond.

Reports say the pilot never actually received the information, although theories about this are still unclear. An hour passes as the fighter jets still accompany the aircraft, and the orders from Soviet military is to shoot down the aircraft just as the plane was leaving Soviet airspace.

The Soviet fighter jets shot down the plane, with the aircraft plunging 35,000 feet in less than 90 seconds, killing 269 civilians, including a US congressman.

Hell broke loose. As the Soviets tried to defend their 'mistake', US President Ronald Raegan described the Soviets actions as "barbaric" and "a crime against humanity that must never be forgotten".

The tension between the two mega-powers hit an all-time high, and on 15 September 1983 the US administration banned Soviet aircrafts from operating in US airspace. With the political climate in dangerous territory, both US and Soviet government were on high-alert believing an attack was imminent.

It was a cold night at the Serpukhov-15 bunker in Moscow on 26 September 1983 as Strategic Rocket Forces lieutenant colonel Stanislav Yevgrafovich Petrov resumed his duty, monitoring the skies of the Soviet Union, after taking a shift of someone else who couldn't go to work.

Just past midnight, Petrov received a computer report he'd dreaded all his military career to see, the computer captured a nuclear military missile being launched from the US, destination Moscow.

In the event of such an attack, the Soviet Union’s strategy protocol was to to launch an immediate all-out nuclear weapons counterattack against the United States with nuclear power, and immediately afterwards inform top political and military figures. From there, it would be taken a decision to further the military offensive on America.

Stanislav Petrov

The bunker was in full-alarm, with red lights all over the place as the missile was captured by the Soviet satellites via computers. Petrov wasn't convinced though. He believed that if the US attacked, they would have attacked all-out, not just sending one missile and giving a chance for them (the Soviets) to attack back.

Petrov figured something didn't make sense, as strategically, just one missile from the US would be a strategic disaster. He took some time to think and decided not to give the order a nuclear attack against America, since in his opinion, one missile didn't make sense strategically and it could easily have been a computer error.

But then, seconds later, the situation turned extremely serious. A second missile was spotted by the satellite. The pressure by the officers in the bunker to commence responsive actions against America started growing. A third missile was spotted, followed by a fourth. A couple of seconds later, a fifth one was spotted... everyone in the bunker was agitated as the USSR was under missile attack.

He had two options. Go with his instinct and dismiss the missiles as computer errors, breaking military protocol in the process or take responsive action and commence full-blown nuclear actions against America, potentially killing millions.

He decided it was a computer error, knowing deep down that if he was wrong, missiles would be raining down in Moscow in minutes.

Seconds turned to minutes, and as time passed it was clear Petrov was right, it was a computer error after all. Stanislav Petrov had prevented a worldwide nuclear war, a doomsday scenario that would have annihilated entire cities. He was a hero. Those around him congratulated him for his superb judgment.

Upon further investigation it resulted that the error came from a very rare sunlight alignment, which the computer read as missile.

Of course, top brass in the Kremlin didn't find it so heroic, as he broke military protocol and if he would have been wrong, risked millions of Russian lives. He was sent into early retirement, with a measly $200 a month pension, suffering a nervous breakdown in the process.

Due to military secrecy, nobody knew Petrov's heroic judgment until 1998, when a book written by a Russian officer present at the bunker revealed that World War 3 was closer than people thought, and a nuclear holocaust was avoided by a close shave.

Petrov reminisces what could have been if he didn't get that extra shift that night

Even though the Russian have little sympathy to the man who saved millions of American lives, the United Nations and a number of US agencies honoured the man who could have started a nuclear war, but didn't.

In 2008, a documentary film entitled 'The Man who saved the World' is set to be released, perhaps giving Petrov some financial help, thanking him for the incredible part he had in keeping the US and the USSR out of a full-blown war.

Without knowing on the cold Moscow night back in 1983, a badly paid 44 year old military officer saved the world, and made himself one of the most influential persons of the century in the process, saving more lives than anyone ever did.

Most of today's people don't know it, but today's world as we know it, is like it is because of Stanislav Petrov.
Malta Star

wisper · 10-09-2007, 12:33 AM

I remember 007...there's more there then can be told.
http://www.airliners.net/articles/read.main?id=82

Petrov later indicated the influences in this decision included: that he had been told a US strike would be all-out, so that five missiles seemed an illogical start; that the launch detection system was new and, in his view, not yet wholly trustworthy; and that ground radars were still failing to pick up any corroborative evidence, even after minutes of delay. [6]

LDahl · 10-09-2007, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wisper

I remember 007...there's more there then can be told.
http://www.airliners.net/articles/read.main?id=82

Petrov later indicated the influences in this decision included: that he had been told a US strike would be all-out, so that five missiles seemed an illogical start; that the launch detection system was new and, in his view, not yet wholly trustworthy; and that ground radars were still failing to pick up any corroborative evidence, even after minutes of delay. [6]

I'll have to read more on this tomorrow....brain is turning to mush...
Right now I can't quite get a handle on all these "facts".

Eliseu Gouveia · 10-09-2007, 02:32 AM

83?

I swas 12 years old!

LDahl · 10-09-2007, 06:58 AM

Really scary huh? I wasn't even sure whether this was true or not at first.......

Petrov is now a pensioner, spending his retirement in relative poverty (US $200/month pension) in the town of Fryazino.[8] He has said he does not regard himself as a hero for what he did that day; nevertheless, on May 21, 2004, the San Francisco-based Association of World Citizens gave Colonel Petrov its World Citizen Award along with a trophy and US$1000 in recognition of the part he played in averting a catastrophe.[9]

In January 2006 Petrov traveled to the United States where he was honored in a meeting at the United Nations in New York City. There the Association of World Citizens presented Petrov with a second special World Citizen Award.[10] The following day Petrov met with American journalist Walter Cronkite at his CBS office in New York City. That interview, in addition to other highlights of Petrov’s trip to the United States, will be included in the documentary film The Man Who Saved the World,[9] which is expected to be released in the summer or autumn of 2008.

Somebody needs to start this guy a PayPal account...

And put a statue of him in Central Park.

**Lovecraft13** · 10-09-2007, 12:25 PM

I save millions of lives each day by not masturbating.

LDahl · 10-09-2007, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lovecraft13

I save millions of lives each day by not masturbating.

All carrying your DNA...is this what they mean when they say "Self absorbed?" A million half lives, all yelling from the back seat,"Are we there yet, are we there yet?"

**Buckyrig** · 10-09-2007, 02:26 PM

As long as a flesh-and-blood human being has to "turn the key", there's always hope.

LDahl · 10-09-2007, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckyrig

As long as a flesh-and-blood human being has to "turn the key", there's always hope.

really, you think so? Thanks for giving me some hope...lately I've been really doubting, and that's not like me...but it's sad what goes on in this world. I don't worry too much for myself, I just wonder what is going to happen to you guys and your kids... then I feel kind'a depressed.

Mike225 · 10-09-2007, 02:43 PM

Let's just be glad this guy isn't a fan of James T. Kirk.

**Buckyrig** · 10-09-2007, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LDahl

really, you think so? Thanks for giving me some hope...lately I've been really doubting, and that's not like me...but it's sad what goes on in this world. I don't worry too much for myself, I just wonder what is going to happen to you guys and your kids... then I feel kind'a depressed.

I think in a sort of ironic "blessing-in-disguise" way, the understanding by even the most uneducated person on the planet that we as human beings have the power to decimate ourselves (I don't think we could wipe ourselves out through war...if anything an unintentionally and indirectly human-catalyzed pandemic would probably have a better shot at that), gives a modern likeliness of pause to impulsive violence.

Meanwhile, the world is maybe on fire...but I think there is (really, has always been to some extent) a slowly growing relative enlightenment.

LDahl · 10-09-2007, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckyrig

I think in a sort of ironic "blessing-in-disguise" way, the understanding by even the most uneducated person on the planet that we as human beings have the power to decimate ourselves (I don't think we could wipe ourselves out through war...if anything an unintentionally and indirectly human-catalyzed pandemic would probably have a better shot at that), gives a modern likeliness of pause to impulsive violence.

Meanwhile, the world is maybe on fire...but I think there is (really, has always been to some extent) a slowly growing relative enlightenment.

Must... grow... faster! No, really, I am always amazed by what I read here when I come to DW, in truth you guys are so bright, informed and thinking, more than you give yourselves credit for. You do give me hope. At least I think, whatever happens, you'll cope. Maybe even more than just cope.

compton · 10-10-2007, 07:11 AM

one of the reasons I love it here. As much as I disagree with allot of the "crap" I read here some times it's well thought out crap.

10-08-2007, 11:50 PM	#1
LDahl Henscratcher Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: At the computer...duh! Posts: 124	The man who saved millions of lives On September 1983 the world was closer to doomsday than it ever was... 24 years on - The man who saved millions of lives Sat, 22 September 2007 The date is 1 September 1983 and the Cold War between the Soviet Union and USA is in full gear, when from the New York skies Korean Air Lines Flight 007 flies from JFK, destination Seoul, South Korea. In the middle of the flight, while accidently passing through Soviet air space, Soviet fighter jets appear getting close the aircraft. The Soviets, who didn't know the plane contained civilians, warned the pilot that they will shoot down the aircraft if it doesn't identify itself, and the pilot, for some unknown reason, doesn't respond. Reports say the pilot never actually received the information, although theories about this are still unclear. An hour passes as the fighter jets still accompany the aircraft, and the orders from Soviet military is to shoot down the aircraft just as the plane was leaving Soviet airspace. The Soviet fighter jets shot down the plane, with the aircraft plunging 35,000 feet in less than 90 seconds, killing 269 civilians, including a US congressman. Hell broke loose. As the Soviets tried to defend their 'mistake', US President Ronald Raegan described the Soviets actions as "barbaric" and "a crime against humanity that must never be forgotten". The tension between the two mega-powers hit an all-time high, and on 15 September 1983 the US administration banned Soviet aircrafts from operating in US airspace. With the political climate in dangerous territory, both US and Soviet government were on high-alert believing an attack was imminent. It was a cold night at the Serpukhov-15 bunker in Moscow on 26 September 1983 as Strategic Rocket Forces lieutenant colonel Stanislav Yevgrafovich Petrov resumed his duty, monitoring the skies of the Soviet Union, after taking a shift of someone else who couldn't go to work. Just past midnight, Petrov received a computer report he'd dreaded all his military career to see, the computer captured a nuclear military missile being launched from the US, destination Moscow. In the event of such an attack, the Soviet Union’s strategy protocol was to to launch an immediate all-out nuclear weapons counterattack against the United States with nuclear power, and immediately afterwards inform top political and military figures. From there, it would be taken a decision to further the military offensive on America. Stanislav Petrov The bunker was in full-alarm, with red lights all over the place as the missile was captured by the Soviet satellites via computers. Petrov wasn't convinced though. He believed that if the US attacked, they would have attacked all-out, not just sending one missile and giving a chance for them (the Soviets) to attack back. Petrov figured something didn't make sense, as strategically, just one missile from the US would be a strategic disaster. He took some time to think and decided not to give the order a nuclear attack against America, since in his opinion, one missile didn't make sense strategically and it could easily have been a computer error. But then, seconds later, the situation turned extremely serious. A second missile was spotted by the satellite. The pressure by the officers in the bunker to commence responsive actions against America started growing. A third missile was spotted, followed by a fourth. A couple of seconds later, a fifth one was spotted... everyone in the bunker was agitated as the USSR was under missile attack. He had two options. Go with his instinct and dismiss the missiles as computer errors, breaking military protocol in the process or take responsive action and commence full-blown nuclear actions against America, potentially killing millions. He decided it was a computer error, knowing deep down that if he was wrong, missiles would be raining down in Moscow in minutes. Seconds turned to minutes, and as time passed it was clear Petrov was right, it was a computer error after all. Stanislav Petrov had prevented a worldwide nuclear war, a doomsday scenario that would have annihilated entire cities. He was a hero. Those around him congratulated him for his superb judgment. Upon further investigation it resulted that the error came from a very rare sunlight alignment, which the computer read as missile. Of course, top brass in the Kremlin didn't find it so heroic, as he broke military protocol and if he would have been wrong, risked millions of Russian lives. He was sent into early retirement, with a measly $200 a month pension, suffering a nervous breakdown in the process. Due to military secrecy, nobody knew Petrov's heroic judgment until 1998, when a book written by a Russian officer present at the bunker revealed that World War 3 was closer than people thought, and a nuclear holocaust was avoided by a close shave. Petrov reminisces what could have been if he didn't get that extra shift that night Even though the Russian have little sympathy to the man who saved millions of American lives, the United Nations and a number of US agencies honoured the man who could have started a nuclear war, but didn't. In 2008, a documentary film entitled 'The Man who saved the World' is set to be released, perhaps giving Petrov some financial help, thanking him for the incredible part he had in keeping the US and the USSR out of a full-blown war. Without knowing on the cold Moscow night back in 1983, a badly paid 44 year old military officer saved the world, and made himself one of the most influential persons of the century in the process, saving more lives than anyone ever did. Most of today's people don't know it, but today's world as we know it, is like it is because of Stanislav Petrov. Malta Star

10-09-2007, 12:33 AM	#2
wisper Isreal/Iran October 2008 Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Send Money. Maryland 20910 ,U.S.A. Posts: 3,557	I remember 007...there's more there then can be told. http://www.airliners.net/articles/read.main?id=82 Petrov later indicated the influences in this decision included: that he had been told a US strike would be all-out, so that five missiles seemed an illogical start; that the launch detection system was new and, in his view, not yet wholly trustworthy; and that ground radars were still failing to pick up any corroborative evidence, even after minutes of delay. [6] Last edited by wisper; 10-09-2007 at 12:36 AM.

10-09-2007, 06:58 AM	#5
LDahl Henscratcher Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: At the computer...duh! Posts: 124	The World was worth $1000 Really scary huh? I wasn't even sure whether this was true or not at first....... Petrov is now a pensioner, spending his retirement in relative poverty (US $200/month pension) in the town of Fryazino.[8] He has said he does not regard himself as a hero for what he did that day; nevertheless, on May 21, 2004, the San Francisco-based Association of World Citizens gave Colonel Petrov its World Citizen Award along with a trophy and US$1000 in recognition of the part he played in averting a catastrophe.[9] In January 2006 Petrov traveled to the United States where he was honored in a meeting at the United Nations in New York City. There the Association of World Citizens presented Petrov with a second special World Citizen Award.[10] The following day Petrov met with American journalist Walter Cronkite at his CBS office in New York City. That interview, in addition to other highlights of Petrov’s trip to the United States, will be included in the documentary film The Man Who Saved the World,[9] which is expected to be released in the summer or autumn of 2008. Somebody needs to start this guy a PayPal account... And put a statue of him in Central Park.

10-09-2007, 12:25 PM	#6
Lovecraft13 Diabeetus! Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Our House Posts: 6,767	I save millions of lives each day by not masturbating. __________________ The "Abigail & Rox" series is available exclusively for download on the iTunes Store, and come visit us on Facebook.

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10-09-2007, 02:32 AM	#4
Eliseu Gouveia Suteki Da Ne Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Outside looking in Posts: 2,900	83? I swas 12 years old!

10-09-2007, 02:26 PM	#8
Buckyrig I Coulda Had a VH Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Steve Buscemi's Couch Posts: 11,462	As long as a flesh-and-blood human being has to "turn the key", there's always hope.

10-09-2007, 02:43 PM	#10
Mike225 low brow B1Tch Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Right in the brainpan squish! Posts: 5,719	Let's just be glad this guy isn't a fan of James T. Kirk.

10-10-2007, 07:11 AM	#13
compton monkey with a gun Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Vancouver ,Canada Posts: 4,105	one of the reasons I love it here. As much as I disagree with allot of the "crap" I read here some times it's well thought out crap.