Did you know the Russians were afraid the US was going to launch a nuclear attack in 1983?

2015-10-25T08:51:16-04:00

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/in-1983-war-scare-soviet-leadership-feared-nuclear-surprise-attack-by-us/2015/10/24/15a289b4-7904-11e5-a958-d889faf561dc_story.html

In 1983 ‘war scare,’ Soviet leadership feared nuclear surprise attack by U.S.

The Cold War adversaries may have come close to war because the Kremlin misunderstood U.S. intentions.

Response by SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA made Oct 25 at 2015 9:00 AM

2015-10-25T09:00:37-04:00

Hadn't heard about this. History is so fascinating!

Response by GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad made Oct 25 at 2015 9:03 AM

2015-10-25T09:03:20-04:00

I have to admit that this is "news" to me!

Response by Sgt Kelli Mays made Oct 25 at 2015 9:31 AM

2015-10-25T09:31:59-04:00

so they are no longer afraid of us? No, I didn't know this.

Response by 1SG Nick Baker made Oct 25 at 2015 12:34 PM

2015-10-25T12:34:15-04:00

In the 80s Reagan built a larger military and pushed the arms race. Did not take long for the Soviet economy fall. Many of us on RP remember when we went on alerts in Europe back in the 70s and 80s. I was in 2AD (FWD) 78-83.

Response by SrA Matthew Knight made Oct 26 at 2015 3:09 AM

2015-10-26T03:09:16-04:00

There was a number of Cold War close calls. I'd say that it's thanks to a high amount of resiliency on both sides that they realized these types of situations weren't actually a threat and didn't fire at each other. Having been a tour guide at a retired Minuteman Missile site we spoke to former crew members regularly. I feel people don't quite understand just how close we came to firing those things at certain points.