The Man Who Saved Humanity

Only after the Soviet Union collapses does the story emerge. When it does, Petrov is suddenly

recognized around the world. Awards, interviews, and honors follow.

But he remains humble. He says he does not consider himself a hero. He says he simply

did what he believed was right. He says anyone in his place would have done the same.

But history knows otherwise. On that night in nineteen eighty-three, one man’s calm judgment

and refusal to blindly trust a machine prevented a nuclear launch that could have ended civilization.

For a few terrifying minutes, the fate of the world sat on the edge of a single

choice… and Stanislav Petrov chose wisely. This is the story of the quiet officer who may have saved