To Stanislav Petrov — World Hero
What? Never heard of him? Read on....
He averted a catastrophe that could have shaken the foundation of the Earth
for many centuries to come — and the future of humanity forever . . .
In 1983 in Russia, there was a man who would have been considered an enemy by the people of America. But as it turned out, he would become for them and for the world an unknown hero — perhaps the greatest hero of all time. Because of military secrecy, and political and international differences, most of the world has not heard of this man. He is Stanislav Petrov.
The extraordinary incident leading to his heroism occurred near Moscow, in the former Soviet Union, just past midnight, Sept. 26, 1983. Because of time-zone differences, it was still Sept. 25 in America, a Sunday afternoon.
During the Cold War at this time, the United States and the Soviet Union were bitter adversaries. These two world powers did not trust each other, and this distrust led to a dangerous consequence: They built thousands of nuclear weapons to be used against each other if a war should ever break out between them. If there ever were such a war, these nations would very likely devastate each other and much of the world many times over, resulting in the deaths of perhaps hundreds of millions of people.
It was Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Petrov’s duty to use computers and satellites to warn the Soviet Union if there were ever a nuclear missile attack by the United States. In the event of such an attack, the Soviet Union’s strategy was to launch an immediate all-out nuclear weapons counterattack against the United States.
On this particular day, something went wrong. Suddenly the computer alarms sounded, warning that an American missile was heading toward the Soviet Union. Lt. Col. Petrov reasoned that a computer error had occurred, since the United States was not likely to launch just one missile if it were attacking the Soviet Union — it would launch many. Besides, there had been questions in the past about the reliability of the satellite system being used. So he dismissed the warning as a false alarm, concluding that no missile had actually been launched by the United States.
But then, just a short time later, the situation turned very serious. Now the computer system was indicating a second missile had been launched by the United States and was approaching the Soviet Union. Then it showed a third missile being launched, and then a fourth and a fifth. The sound of the alarms was deafening. In front of Lt. Col. Petrov the word “Start†was flashing in bright lettering, presumably the instruction indicating the Soviet Union must begin launching a massive counterstrike against the United States.
Even though Lt. Col. Petrov had a gnawing feeling the computer system was wrong, he had no way of knowing for sure. He had nothing else to go by. The Soviet Union’s land radar was not capable of detecting any missiles beyond the horizon, information that by then would be too late to be useful. And worse, he had only a few minutes to decide what to tell the Soviet leadership. He made his final decision: He would trust his intuition and declare it a false alarm. If he were wrong, he realized nuclear missiles from the United States would soon begin raining down on the Soviet Union.
He waited. The minutes and seconds passed. Everything remained quiet — no missiles and no destruction. His decision had been right. Stanislav Petrov had prevented a worldwide nuclear war. He was a hero. Those around him congratulated him for his superb judgment.
But he had disobeyed military procedure by defying the computer warnings. And because of this, he later underwent intense questioning by his superiors about his actions during this nerve-racking ordeal. Perhaps because he had ignored the warnings, he was no longer considered a reliable military officer. Presumably in the military it is understood that orders and procedures are to be carried out unfailingly, without question.
In the end, the Soviet military did not reward or honor Stanislav Petrov for his actions. It did not punish him either. But his once promising military career had come to an end. He was reassigned to a less sensitive position and soon was retired from the military. He went on to live his life in Russia as a pensioner.
Because of Stanislav Petrov’s actions that day in 1983, the Earth was spared what could have become the most devastating tragedy in the history of humanity. Stanislav Petrov has said he does not regard himself as a hero for what he did that day. But in terms of the incalculable number of lives saved, and the overall health of the planet Earth, he undeniably is one of the greatest heroes of all time.
There is yet something else unsettling about this incident. Stanislav Petrov was not originally scheduled to be on duty that night. Had he not been there, it is possible a different commanding officer would not have questioned the computer alarms, tragically leading the world into a nuclear holocaust. As it turned out, this incident ended fortunately for America and for the world. But unfortunately for Stanislav Petrov, it ruined his career and his health, and it deprived him of his peace of mind. This is one debt the world will never be able to repay.
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My candle's burning at both ends, it will not last the night. But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends--It gives a lovely light!--Edna St. Vincent Millay
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that story gave me the shivers...........
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Wow! Thats mind boggling Lulu! 
But wasn't the film Wargames based on a similar true incident?
Where some kid hacked into the US military defence system?
And I think we have enough nuclear weapons to blow up our planet about eight times over! Why do we need such devastating power?
It's probably more by luck than judgement that we haven't blown ourselves up yet!
And I bet there are plenty more unsung heroes who've done amazing things for our world that we will never hear about!
And yet the governments who c%ck it all up never stop blowing their own trumpets! :-5
But wasn't the film Wargames based on a similar true incident?
Where some kid hacked into the US military defence system?
And I think we have enough nuclear weapons to blow up our planet about eight times over! Why do we need such devastating power?
It's probably more by luck than judgement that we haven't blown ourselves up yet!
And I bet there are plenty more unsung heroes who've done amazing things for our world that we will never hear about!
And yet the governments who c%ck it all up never stop blowing their own trumpets! :-5
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Me, too! One "average" guy.....with the power to end it all and the common sense to say "WAIT A MINUTE!" (Or however you say that in Russian.) I'm sad that it ended poorly for him.....but I'd buy him a dinner & stand him to drinks any day of the year!
My candle's burning at both ends, it will not last the night. But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends--It gives a lovely light!--Edna St. Vincent Millay
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Niet!
(That's the sum total of my Russian!) :rolleyes:
(That's the sum total of my Russian!) :rolleyes:
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Nyet, Da, Smirnov, blini, tsarevitch, tsarina, vodka....That's all the Russian I learned when I was there, but the people we met were really warm and fun.
People are people...mostly good! And this fellow deserves better than some lousy pension and no recognition!
People are people...mostly good! And this fellow deserves better than some lousy pension and no recognition!
My candle's burning at both ends, it will not last the night. But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends--It gives a lovely light!--Edna St. Vincent Millay
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True - but wasn't there also a film about a Russian Nuclear Sub which had a radiation leak and refused all help. The scientists on board all had to deal with it and all died of radiation poisoning. I can't remember the name of the film but am sure it was based on a true story.
Anyway, bar the waffle, I'm trying to say there are a LOT of people who do things for their country or who die for their country and all are unsung heroes and many are unheard of heroes. And yes, they all deserve medals and pensions and statues and to be treated like heroes, but all governments have things they batten down under hatches and hide from the eyes of the world. All we can do is live good lives in appreciation for what has been done for us and be aware of the world and all its treachery and try to make amends or atone for the bad things that are done.
On a smaller note, it irks the hell out of me that our grandparents generation fought and died in two World Wars for us. They saw friends and families bombed or lost in the Forces in order that we could be Free and at peace. And for that our government puts up taxes by a far higher percent than it raises their pensions, and when they can't afford to pay their taxes our government imprisons them - at 70 or 80 or 90 years of age! And at the same time it allows thousands of immigrants to enter our country, some who've been trained by AlQieda, and it gives them houses, pays them benefits and if they're found to be illegal immigrants it "loses them in the system" and so they STILL stay in our over-populated little country - whilst our war heroes are slung into prison without any regard to their health or their needs or their heroism.
They may not compare to your unsung hero Lulu and I've no wish to denigrate such an amazing and worthy man, but they are also unsung heroes who are still giving their all whilst our enemies our nourished at our breast.
Okay. Rant over. Sorry!
Anyway, bar the waffle, I'm trying to say there are a LOT of people who do things for their country or who die for their country and all are unsung heroes and many are unheard of heroes. And yes, they all deserve medals and pensions and statues and to be treated like heroes, but all governments have things they batten down under hatches and hide from the eyes of the world. All we can do is live good lives in appreciation for what has been done for us and be aware of the world and all its treachery and try to make amends or atone for the bad things that are done.
On a smaller note, it irks the hell out of me that our grandparents generation fought and died in two World Wars for us. They saw friends and families bombed or lost in the Forces in order that we could be Free and at peace. And for that our government puts up taxes by a far higher percent than it raises their pensions, and when they can't afford to pay their taxes our government imprisons them - at 70 or 80 or 90 years of age! And at the same time it allows thousands of immigrants to enter our country, some who've been trained by AlQieda, and it gives them houses, pays them benefits and if they're found to be illegal immigrants it "loses them in the system" and so they STILL stay in our over-populated little country - whilst our war heroes are slung into prison without any regard to their health or their needs or their heroism.
They may not compare to your unsung hero Lulu and I've no wish to denigrate such an amazing and worthy man, but they are also unsung heroes who are still giving their all whilst our enemies our nourished at our breast.
Okay. Rant over. Sorry!
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chonsigirl
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Wow, a remarkable story, LuLu. It is a shame his quick thinking was not recognized as saving the world from war.
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Fine with me, Rapunzel! If we could shine the light on these "unsung" heroes...we and they, would all be better off!
My candle's burning at both ends, it will not last the night. But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends--It gives a lovely light!--Edna St. Vincent Millay