Ive been learning a bit on Cold War theory and my only conclusion is that the whole thing was a stupid mess. However this thread idea did come up in a videogame.
Able Archer was a NATO wargame in 1983 that seems to have been pretty much a nuclear weapons version of 'made you flinch'. Near the same time a Russian soldier received a false alert that the Americans were sending a nuclear first strike.
So lets say the warning malfunction rather than 'just' a few rockets, said that a crap load were heading for the Soviet Union. In response, the Russian soldier Petrov sends the info to his superiors and the Soviet Union which was already geared up for war in response to Able Archer, goes all out preparing for a return strike (very publicly), as in "OMG we're all DOOMED! IM TAKING THOSE CAPITALIST BASTARDS DOWN WITH ME".
Then more problems hit, Andropov is sick at the moment and cant be contacted. Authority falls on to the military. Right before they give the order to attack they realize... that they arnt willing to be the ones that unleash armageddon on the world. Somehow they manage to prevent the military from launching a retaliation strike. Then things get sorted out by a combination of NATO begging for the Sovs to stand down by providing proof of no nuclear attack and mechanical malfunctions in the warning system being fixed.
For the Soviet Union bad things will happen probably. They've just shown the world that the leadership is not willing to respond to an attack by the West, the Cold War will probably end in a few years in Western victory. Or maybe not.
So what do you think will happen now?
Bonus Side B questions: What if something like this happened to the US? Or happened earlier than 1983?
It may not be very plausible or likely but dont say its ASB, weirder things have happened.
Able Archer was a NATO wargame in 1983 that seems to have been pretty much a nuclear weapons version of 'made you flinch'. Near the same time a Russian soldier received a false alert that the Americans were sending a nuclear first strike.
So lets say the warning malfunction rather than 'just' a few rockets, said that a crap load were heading for the Soviet Union. In response, the Russian soldier Petrov sends the info to his superiors and the Soviet Union which was already geared up for war in response to Able Archer, goes all out preparing for a return strike (very publicly), as in "OMG we're all DOOMED! IM TAKING THOSE CAPITALIST BASTARDS DOWN WITH ME".
Then more problems hit, Andropov is sick at the moment and cant be contacted. Authority falls on to the military. Right before they give the order to attack they realize... that they arnt willing to be the ones that unleash armageddon on the world. Somehow they manage to prevent the military from launching a retaliation strike. Then things get sorted out by a combination of NATO begging for the Sovs to stand down by providing proof of no nuclear attack and mechanical malfunctions in the warning system being fixed.
For the Soviet Union bad things will happen probably. They've just shown the world that the leadership is not willing to respond to an attack by the West, the Cold War will probably end in a few years in Western victory. Or maybe not.
So what do you think will happen now?
Bonus Side B questions: What if something like this happened to the US? Or happened earlier than 1983?
It may not be very plausible or likely but dont say its ASB, weirder things have happened.
Last edited: