The Man Who Stopped WWIII
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In 1983, the Cold War escalated to new heights after the Soviet Union mistakenly shot down a passenger jet, Korean Air Flight 007, killing all 269 people on board. Just weeks later, Russian Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Petrov was on duty when the nuclear missile detection system reported an incoming U.S. strike. With Cold War tensions already at a breaking point, Petrov had to decide whether to follow protocol – or launch a retaliatory attack and unleash nuclear war.
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There was another Russian officer who stopped WWIII before Petrov by refusing to launch nuclear torpedo during Cuban Missile Crisis, Vasili Archipov https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasily_Arkhipov
US Congressman Larry MacDonald was on KAL 007. He was one of the most ardent anti Communist in our government, leading conspiracy theorists to say the shooting down was planned.