The Man Who Saved The World: The True Story of the Soviet Officer Who Averted Nuclear War

The Man Who Saved The World

by J.T. Whitman

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1774 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	9 pages
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Stanislav Petrov, the Soviet officer who saved the world from nuclear war in 1983.

On September 26, 1983, the world came within minutes of nuclear war. A Soviet early warning system detected the launch of five American nuclear missiles from their bases in the United States. The duty officer that night was Stanislav Petrov, a lieutenant colonel in the Soviet Air Defense Forces. Petrov had just 23 minutes to decide whether or not to launch a retaliatory strike against the United States.

Petrov had never seen anything like this before. The computer system was giving him very clear indications that the United States had launched a nuclear attack. But Petrov had a gut feeling that something was wrong. He couldn't shake the feeling that the system was making a mistake.

Petrov decided to trust his gut and not launch a retaliatory strike. It was a decision that would ultimately save the world from nuclear war.

Peter Watson's book, The Man Who Saved The World, tells the full story of Stanislav Petrov and the night he averted nuclear war. Watson's book is a gripping account of Petrov's life and work, and it provides a fascinating glimpse into the Cold War and the dangers of nuclear weapons.

A Man of Conscience

Stanislav Petrov was born in 1939 in the Soviet Union. He was a bright and ambitious young man, and he joined the Soviet Air Defense Forces in 1961. Petrov quickly rose through the ranks, and by 1983 he was a lieutenant colonel in command of the early warning station at Serpukhov-15.

Petrov was a dedicated soldier, but he was also a man of conscience. He believed that nuclear war would be a catastrophe, and he was determined to do everything in his power to prevent it.

The Night of the False Alarm

On September 26, 1983, Petrov was on duty at Serpukhov-15. At 03:41 Moscow time, the early warning system detected the launch of five American nuclear missiles from their bases in the United States. Petrov had just 23 minutes to decide whether or not to launch a retaliatory strike against the United States.

Petrov had never seen anything like this before. The computer system was giving him very clear indications that the United States had launched a nuclear attack. But Petrov had a gut feeling that something was wrong. He couldn't shake the feeling that the system was making a mistake.

Petrov decided to trust his gut and not launch a retaliatory strike. It was a decision that would ultimately save the world from nuclear war.

The Aftermath

In the aftermath of the false alarm, Petrov was hailed as a hero by some and criticized by others. The Soviet government initially tried to keep the incident a secret, but it was eventually leaked to the West. Petrov was eventually awarded the Free Download of the Red Star for his role in preventing nuclear war, but he was also forced to retire from the military.

Petrov died in 2017 at the age of 77. He is remembered as a humble man who saved the world from nuclear war.

Peter Watson's book, The Man Who Saved The World, is a gripping account of Stanislav Petrov and the night he averted nuclear war. Watson's book is a fascinating glimpse into the Cold War and the dangers of nuclear weapons. It is also a story of courage, conscience, and the power of one man to make a difference.