DBWI: What if Reagan had gone postal on Ogarkov? (Protect and Survive)

TheKinkster

Banned
We know that President Reagan, when confronted by Ogarkov with ridiculous demands, told the Soviet leader:

"We know what you are planning to do. We are aware of it. We see the launch sites being prepared. I am telling you that if we see so much as ONE Soviet missile lift off, I will order the launch of our entire nuclear arsenal against the Soviet Union at the first warning of even a single launch. I hope you will not make this necessary."

Given this naked, insane threat, from a President they were truly scared of, Ogarkov backed down...and the ceasefire held, and eventually peace returned to battle-scared Europe.

My question is...what if, instead of going with his gut instinct, President Reagan had just rejected Ogarkov's "proposals" and threats, and hung up the phone? Do you think we would have gone over the edge of the nuclear cliff?
 
Ogarkov was made Chairman when the Central Committee was in a panic over the evacuation of Moscow and the sudden decline of Yuri Andropov, whose otherwise alert mind was unable to provide guidance. We also know that Ogarkov was replaced by Konstantin Chernenko in May 1984, following the Marshal's sudden "retirement for reason of ill health." There was an epidemic of ill health, resulting in the elevation of Boris Yeltsin, and then Mikhail Gorbachev, resulting in the Treaty of Odessa and the formation of the Commonwealth of States, giving de facto, if not de jure, independence to the Baltics and Ukraine.
 
I think at least a few member of the Soviet high command and key political figures would have ask..."Who the hell is this Ogarkov jackass and how do we get him out of the way. This has gone waaaaaaay out of control, comrades!"
 
I think at least a few member of the Soviet high command and key political figures would have ask..."Who the hell is this Ogarkov jackass and how do we get him out of the way. This has gone waaaaaaay out of control, comrades!"

I have my issues with Reagan, but I will hand him this: he kept us all from being nuked to kingdom come, like JFK in '62.
 

TheKinkster

Banned
I was in the Hole during the height of the crisis. The aide to the Deputy CINC-SAC had been in an automobile accident the day before, and when CINC-SAC was ordered to Looking Glass I was ordered to stay behind.

I was in the room with him when the Deputy got the call about Reagan's ultimatum to Ogarkov...I had known him for years, and had never seen him so much as flustered...but his face was almost white when he put the phone down. From then, until Ogarkov backed down, we were literally at a hair-trigger, by Presidential order...I shudder to think what would have happened if we'd had a computer malfunction, or a flock of birds in the wrong place...

I was honored to meet the late President Reagan when he came to Offutt in March of 1984 to thank us for our efforts...I will never forget...There was a small reception that night. I was alone on one side of the room (my wife and kids were back home on Long Island), lost in my thoughts, when I heard that familiar voice. "Son, you look like youre a million miles away. What's on your mind?" To this day I still do not know what posessed me...but here's the exchange that followed:

"Permission to speak freely, Mr. President?"

"Yes Colonel?"

"Sir, when you said what you did to Ogarkov...were you bluffing?"

A couple of the people around me had their jaws dropped when I asked him the question...before anyone could interject he looked at me, gave me a small smile, and said "Colonel, as the Lord is my judge, I don't know...and I thank God we didn't have to find out."
 
I was in the Hole during the height of the crisis. The aide to the Deputy CINC-SAC had been in an automobile accident the day before, and when CINC-SAC was ordered to Looking Glass I was ordered to stay behind.

I was in the room with him when the Deputy got the call about Reagan's ultimatum to Ogarkov...I had known him for years, and had never seen him so much as flustered...but his face was almost white when he put the phone down. From then, until Ogarkov backed down, we were literally at a hair-trigger, by Presidential order...I shudder to think what would have happened if we'd had a computer malfunction, or a flock of birds in the wrong place...

I was honored to meet the late President Reagan when he came to Offutt in March of 1984 to thank us for our efforts...I will never forget...There was a small reception that night. I was alone on one side of the room (my wife and kids were back home on Long Island), lost in my thoughts, when I heard that familiar voice. "Son, you look like youre a million miles away. What's on your mind?" To this day I still do not know what posessed me...but here's the exchange that followed:

"Permission to speak freely, Mr. President?"

"Yes Colonel?"

"Sir, when you said what you did to Ogarkov...were you bluffing?"

A couple of the people around me had their jaws dropped when I asked him the question...before anyone could interject he looked at me, gave me a small smile, and said "Colonel, as the Lord is my judge, I don't know...and I thank God we didn't have to find out."

That sounds like classic Reagan... God rest his soul.
 
I think at least a few member of the Soviet high command and key political figures would have ask..."Who the hell is this Ogarkov jackass and how do we get him out of the way. This has gone waaaaaaay out of control, comrades!"

The memoirs of the late Boris Yeltsin, who was interim Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the U.S.S.R., were published late in 2010. He stated:

The crisis over Germany was the key to Comrade Gorbachev's successful program of perestroika and glasnost. To do this, the militarists had to be removed. Ogarkov had assumed power during the evacuation from Moscow to emergency headquarters. He had the support of reactionaries such as Kyruchkov, who had been promised control of the KGB. However, what one person could do in an emergency, others could undo.

The Army was reluctant to remove Ogarkov, but the Central Committee insisted. The Army was the servant of the Party, not the other way around, and in particular support from Admiral Gorshkov and other key generals persuaded Ogarkov of his folly. He was retired shortly thereafter.

I had wished Chernenko could have lived longer. I had no desire to be anything but Mayor of Moscow....
 

TheKinkster

Banned
I'd have loved to be a fly on the wall in the Soviet command bunker after Reagan gave Ogarkov the ultimatum...that's one discussion that as a historian I'd give anything to see the text of.
 
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