Which soviet naval officer prevent WW3?
The Soviet naval officer who is credited with preventing WW3 is Vasili Arkhipov. In October 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Arkhipov was the commander of a Soviet submarine armed with nuclear-tipped torpedoes. When the submarine lost contact with Moscow and its crew believed that a nuclear war might have started, the captain and the political officer on board decided to launch the torpedoes at a nearby US aircraft carrier. However, Arkhipov, who was second-in-command and had the authority to veto the decision, argued that they should wait and try to establish contact with Moscow before making any moves. His argument prevailed, and the submarine surfaced and returned to the Soviet Union without launching any nuclear weapons. This decision is widely regarded as having prevented a nuclear war and potentially saved millions of lives.
If Vasili Arkhipov launched the torpedoes, what could have happened?
If Vasili Arkhipov had approved the launch of the torpedoes during the Cuban Missile Crisis, it could have resulted in a full-fledged nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union. The US aircraft carrier that the Soviet submarine was targeting was part of a naval blockade around Cuba, which was one of the triggers of the crisis. Had the submarine fired the nuclear-tipped torpedoes, it would have likely resulted in a response from the US Navy, and the situation would have escalated quickly into a nuclear exchange between the two superpowers. This would have had catastrophic consequences for both nations, and the world as a whole, as it could have led to the complete annihilation of life on Earth.
The Soviet naval officer who prevented WW3 is Stanislav Petrov. He is credited with averting a potential nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union. In order to understand how he prevented WW3, let's go through the details:
1. Background: On September 26, 1983, during the height of the Cold War, Stanislav Petrov was the duty officer at the Soviet Union's early-warning missile defense system. The system was designed to detect any incoming missiles from the United States.
2. The Incident: Petrov's computer system informed him of the launch of multiple intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) from the United States towards the Soviet Union. The system indicated that it was not a drill but a real attack.
3. Analyzing the Situation: Instead of immediately reporting the information to his superiors, Petrov decided to trust his instincts and thought the situation was likely a false alarm. He considered it highly unlikely that the United States would launch a small-scale attack with only five missiles.
4. Verification Process: Petrov's gut feeling was supported by the lack of corroborating evidence, such as satellite confirmation or radar tracking, that would accompany an actual missile launch. The system had been known to produce false alarms in the past.
5. Decision: Petrov made the crucial decision to declare the warning as a false alarm, going against protocol and disregarding the computer indications. This decision prevented a possible retaliatory nuclear strike from the Soviet Union, which could have escalated into a catastrophic global nuclear conflict.
6. Aftermath: It was later discovered that the false alarm was triggered by a rare alignment of sunlight on high-altitude clouds, which had confused the satellite-based system.
Stanislav Petrov's actions were not widely known until years later, as his role was not publicized at the time. However, his decision and bravery in trusting his intuition are recognized as having played a significant role in preventing a potential nuclear war and preserving peace.