Lesson Two - The Man Who Saved the World

Introduction

Lesson Two - The Man Who Saved the World
Duration - 2 blocks (2 x 80 min + homework)

“I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.” - Albert Einstein

In 1983 relations between the United States and the Soviet Union were severely strained. The timing probably could not have been worse for a mistaken nuclear attack warning. Consider what was happening in the weeks and months leading up to Sept. 25, 1983:

• The Soviet military shot down a Korean passenger jet Sept. 1, 1983 (only three weeks before this incident), killing all 269 people on board, including many Americans. Soon after, the KGB sent a flash message to its operatives in the West, warning them to prepare for possible nuclear war, according to CNN.
• The American leadership began referring to the Soviet Union as an “evil empire.”
• Throughout 1983 the Kremlin assumed the West was planning a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union, according to experts quoted by the Federation of American Scientists.
• After President Reagan’s “Star Wars” speech March 23, 1983, the Soviets feared such a system would increase the likelihood the United States would launch a first attack since the United States would not fear retaliation, according to CNN.
• The Russians saw a U.S. government preparing for a first strike, headed by a President capable of ordering a first strike. Russian strategy is to fire its arsenal as soon as possible after receiving indications of an attack, according to Bruce Blair, an expert on Cold War nuclear strategies (Dateline NBC, Nov. 12, 2000).
• The United States and NATO were organizing a military exercise that centered on using tactical nuclear weapons in Europe. Soviet leaders were concerned this was a cover for an actual invasion. (IEEE Spectrum, March 2000)

Resources

TEMPLATE
Persuasive Writing Guide

Websites
wikipedia: Stanislav Petrov 
http://www.brightstarsound.com/
http://www.brightstarsound.com/world_hero/article.html

Nobelprize.org
wikipedia: Nobel Peace Prize

VIDEO

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?

Assignment

(100 marks)
Open a new Word document. Label it E302U4L2surname 
In this document, write the good copy of the assignment outlined below.
Submit this assignment using the Dropbox for U4L2 hero letter

Write a persuasive and detailed letter to the Nobel Peace Prize committee in which you nominate Stanislav Petrov for the Nobel Peace Prize. Your letter must be at least five paragraphs and between 500-600 words, containing specific details from your research.

You may want to use the Persuasive Writing Guide to help you craft your response.

Use this links on the Resources page to get your research started. Remember that these are not the only links you are entitled to use.

Review the documents on writing a formal letter and writing a business letter before you begin your letter of nomination.

Conclusion

Your study on Stanislav Petrov highlights the point that when confronting fears, sometimes choosing not to act can be as important as choosing to act.