The Ballad of Stanislov Petrov - 2.0

Lieutenant Colonel Petrov commanded on the night the Cold War could have turned us all to ashes gray and white. He worked for Air Defenses in the Union Soviet. And we’d be melted into glass had this man not said nyet. He lived to serve the Motherland he loved with all his heart. His job the Premier to alert should war the US start. He and his team the skies would scan from satellites on high and radar from the ground below – they cast a constant eye. A missile launch was what they kept their vigil to detect, for they had mighty weapons too that others must respect. And if their foes in Washington were daft enough to go, Lieutenant Colonel Petrov would be the first to know. You’ve likely never heard of him, this man who saved us all. Lieutenant Colonel Petrov – the guy was on the ball. He knew machines could make mistakes for all their mighty speed. Despite their cry that war was nigh his common sense he’d heed. September 26th it was in 1983, when satellites in orbits high said “Look at what we see!” “Americans, those crazy fools, have launched and started war. Five missiles fly from USA and head toward Russian shore.” Alarms went off and screens would flash their warnings loud and shrill. Such things meant warheads on to burn, destroy, and kill. The Soviets were loath to see their land crushed from above. So strike back hard was what they’d do if push would come to shove. It fell to Petrov – him alone – to make the fateful call. To get this wrong could mean the end of life on Earth for all. For had he told his High Command they were under attack, they’d launch thousands of their own to pay their rivals back. Most have never heard of him, this man who saved mankind. Stanislov Petrov – a rare and lucky find. “Trust but verify” they said at every twist and turn. And since he learned that lesson well, the world did not burn. So Petrov needed to decide: was this a false alarm? Or had the USA gone mad to cause this awful harm? The protocol must be observed; such was how they were trained. Yet Petrov stopped to use his head and briefly he refrained. So Petrov took a moment and thought hard about his foe. Five missiles were too small a force had Reagan said “Let’s go”. A shot like that would only serve to rile the Russian bear. One does not play ‘round like this to merely mess his hair. So something said to Petrov then: “Could be just false alarm. But if you get it wrong, Comrade, then truly we buy farm.” “Go check radar”, Petrov yelled, Yet Petrov stopped to use his head and briefly he refrained. So Petrov took a moment and thought hard about his foe. Five missiles were too small a force had Reagan said “Let’s go”. A shot like that would only serve to rile the Russian bear. One does not play ‘round like this to merely mess his hair. So something said to Petrov then: “Could be just false alarm. But if you get it wrong, Comrade, then truly we buy farm.” “Go check radar”, Petrov yelled, “Confirm if bombs will fall. Only if they find them too the Kremlin do I call”. And still so few have heard of him, on whom so much depended. The world teetered on the brink – it nearly all upended. The Fates were getting ready do svidaniya to declare. “Man has had his childish fun. Let’s clear him out of there”. But when his radar team confessed no missiles could they see, the slightest smile crossed his face – a tiny hint of glee. For what this told him there and then: the satellites had erred. A phantom threat was all it was that had them running scared. So Petrov chose to not alert the Premier on that day. He used his brain and verified: no missiles on the way. Deterrence is the point: destruction mutually assured. Yet if we lose our common sense it all becomes a the slightest smile crossed his face – a tiny hint of glee. For what this told him there and then: the satellites had erred. A phantom threat was all it was that had them running scared. So Petrov chose to not alert the Premier on that day. He used his brain and verified: no missiles on the way. Deterrence is the point: destruction mutually assured. Yet if we lose our common sense it all becomes absurd. The missiles will not go away; The bomb is here to stay. So let’s ensure our wisest ones are those who hold the sway. This modest man, to duty sworn, is with us now no more. But good old Stan has earned our praise for saving us from war. So now you’ve finally heard of him, the man who got it right – Lieutenant Colonel Petrov, the wisest one in sight. But with him gone it’s up to us to be the smart ones now. Thank goodness that he came along to show the world how. to be the smart ones now. Thank goodness that he came along to show the world how. Thank goodness that he came along to show the world how.