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In hindsight, the Cold War might look like nothing more than a dramatic hissy fit between two places with opposing political ideologies—the US and the Soviet Union. It was defined by tension, suspicion, and a relentless arms race, but the fact that it never escalated into real violence might leave some wondering: how real was the threat of nuclear war? In reality, all it took for either side to ignite the fuse to a full-blown nuclear conflict, potentially delving the world into a post-apocalyptic reality, was the press of a button. 

Cuban Missile Crisis

One of the most well-known boiling points in the Cold War was the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962. The Soviet Union secretly installed nuclear-armed missiles just 90 miles from the US coast in Cuba. For nearly two weeks, the world watched as American and Soviet forces stood on the brink of open war. 

Several moments during the crisis could have ignited a nuclear exchange, including when a Soviet submarine commander nearly launched a nuclear-armed torpedo after being charged by US forces. This event is widely seen as the closest the world has ever come to nuclear war. 

Stanislav Petrov incident 1983

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The Cuban Missile Crisis wasn’t the only close call. In 1983, a Soviet early warning satellite system falsely reported that the US had launched five intercontinental ballistic missiles toward Soviet territory. Protocol at the time required the warning to be reported up the chain of command, which would've probably led to the soviets striking back. 

Fortunately, the duty officer on watch, Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Petrov, judged the alert to be a false alarm and reported it as such. His decision is seen as having prevented a retaliatory strike against the United States and its NATO allies, which would have likely caused a full-scale nuclear war. Remarkably, it was one individual's decision that made the difference between peace and all-out war. 

Later investigation found the warning was caused by a satellite malfunction triggered by sunlight reflecting off clouds. 

Able Archer incident 1983

Later that same year, NATO conducted a military exercise called Able Archer 83. It was designed to simulate the command and control procedures for a nuclear strike. However, the exercise was more realistic than the usual training exercises, causing the Soviet Union to misinterpret it as preparation for a real attack. 

Soviet intelligence and military leader, already on edge due to generally high tensions, elevated their nuclear forces to a heightened state of readiness in anticipation of an American surprise attack. Later investigations revealed that the Soviets really were poised for a retaliatory nuclear attack.   

In many cases during the Cold War, the fate of the world rested on the instincts of a few individuals. Near-misses that could've blown up into all-out war were brought on by misunderstandings, fragile technology, and high tensions. With the introduction of nuclear weapons, the high stakes were well understood, and thankfully, no one was trigger-happy. However, the world really was hanging on by a thread.