<P> On 26 September 1983 , the nuclear early warning system of the Soviet Union reported the launch of multiple USAF Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missiles from bases in the United States . These missile attack warnings were correctly identified as a false alarm by Stanislav Yevgrafovich Petrov , an officer of the Soviet Air Defence Forces . This decision is seen as having prevented a retaliatory nuclear attack based on erroneous data on the United States and its NATO allies , which would have probably resulted in immediate escalation of the cold - war stalemate to a full - scale nuclear war . Investigation of the satellite warning system later confirmed that the system had malfunctioned . </P>
<P> On 26 September 1983 , the nuclear early warning system of the Soviet Union reported the launch of multiple USAF Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missiles from bases in the United States . These missile attack warnings were correctly identified as a false alarm by Stanislav Yevgrafovich Petrov , an officer of the Soviet Air Defence Forces . This decision is seen as having prevented a retaliatory nuclear attack based on erroneous data on the United States and its NATO allies , which would have probably resulted in immediate escalation of the cold - war stalemate to a full - scale nuclear war . Investigation of the satellite warning system later confirmed that the system had malfunctioned . </P>
when did the cold war almost turn hot
when did the cold war almost turn hot
26 September 1983
26 September 1983