The day Stanislav Petrov saved the world from the apocalypse – level 2

26-09-1983

Stanislav Petrov saved the world in 1983.

On September 26, 1983, Stanislav Petrov was looking at the Soviet satellite system. At one moment, the satellite system showed five rockets which were coming from the United States. The system made a mistake and the information wasn’t correct but nobody knew it at that time.

It was a difficult situation. Petrov had to decide what to do. He thought that it was a false alarm. He thought that if the US wanted to attack the Soviet Union, it would probably send more than just five rockets.

He didn’t tell his boss that the rockets were coming. He told his boss that it was a mistake in the system.

If he reported that the rockets were coming, a war between the US and the Soviet Union could start. His good thinking saved the world from a big war.

Difficult words: intuition (when you know something because you feel it), judgment (an opinion).

How did Stanislav Petrov's quick thinking and decision making ultimately save the world from a potential war between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1983?

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