3 ms·

Honestly why would soldiers do such a thing if central command is out? I think that fears of all countries using nuclear weapons on each other at the same time

Honestly why would soldiers do such a thing if central command is out? I think that fears of all countries using nuclear weapons on each other at the same time is frequently inflated with the fear governments will just become kill everyone for no reason or will behave madly. There is plenty to fear even when we keep everybody rational, let's stick to that

arethuza 5y ago
Personally, I don't doubt that the crews would follow their training and orders. Now I wouldn't do it, but nobody is going to let me near that kind of position.
- gambiting 5y ago
  I don't know. We came extremely close to nuclear war several times, and each time it was people refusing to obey their training and follow orders that has saved us. Soviets had two notable examples: Submarine captain refusing to launch a nuclear torpedo despite clear orders to do so: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/you-and-almost-everyone-you-know-owe-your-life-to-this-man https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/you-and-a... And then one man has saved us all by refusing the launch nuclear strike on US despite Soviet satellites confirming multiple launches from US heading to CCCP. He decided to wait for radar confirmation first despite everyone above him(and next to him) approving the counterstrike. If he followed his training we'd all be dead now. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_Soviet_nuclear_false_alarm_incident https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_Soviet_nuclear_false_alar...
posix_me_less 5y ago
Since when people and governments are guaranteed to behave rationally? We should account for every possibility.
sidewndr46 5y ago
After losing contact with Moscow for several days and being unable to detect civilian radio the captain of the B-59 wished to launch a nuclear strike. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_submarine_B-59 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_submarine_B-59

arethuza 5y ago

Personally, I don't doubt that the crews would follow their training and orders. Now I wouldn't do it, but nobody is going to let me near that kind of position.

gambiting 5y ago
I don't know. We came extremely close to nuclear war several times, and each time it was people refusing to obey their training and follow orders that has saved us. Soviets had two notable examples: Submarine captain refusing to launch a nuclear torpedo despite clear orders to do so: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/you-and-almost-everyone-you-know-owe-your-life-to-this-man https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/you-and-a... And then one man has saved us all by refusing the launch nuclear strike on US despite Soviet satellites confirming multiple launches from US heading to CCCP. He decided to wait for radar confirmation first despite everyone above him(and next to him) approving the counterstrike. If he followed his training we'd all be dead now. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_Soviet_nuclear_false_alarm_incident https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_Soviet_nuclear_false_alar...

posix_me_less 5y ago

Since when people and governments are guaranteed to behave rationally? We should account for every possibility.

sidewndr46 5y ago

After losing contact with Moscow for several days and being unable to detect civilian radio the captain of the B-59 wished to launch a nuclear strike. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_submarine_B-59 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_submarine_B-59