Lesson Two - The Man Who Saved the World

Lesson

Explore the first three links on the Resources page and watch the video.

Consider how you would answer the following questions. Do NOT submit your answers, but think about how you would answer in order to guide your thinking before you begin the assignment.

1. Examine Petrov's decision and its results

• What decision did Petrov make?
• How much time did he have to think about it?
• What support did he have?
• What consequences might he - and his country - have faced if he had been mistaken and there really had been missiles head his way?
• What consequences did his decision prevent?
• Why wasn't Petrov immediately honoured for what he did?

2. List the values you believe Petrov holds, and give evidence to support each one. How did the values you identified contribute to Petrov's "heroic" status among the people who wrote to him after hearing his story?