Luke LaManna

The autopilot might have been set slightly off, and over time the navigation system gradually drifted without the crew realizing it. And coincidentally, earlier that day, a genuine American military reconnaissance aircraft had been detected in the vicinity.

The Air Force concluded that the Soviets were likely still on high alert from the earlier sighting, and may have mistaken the civilian airliner for a military threat. And the warning shots and flashing lights by the Soviet pilot could have been easily missed by the Korean air pilots, who had no idea they were off course.

The Air Force concluded that the Soviets were likely still on high alert from the earlier sighting, and may have mistaken the civilian airliner for a military threat. And the warning shots and flashing lights by the Soviet pilot could have been easily missed by the Korean air pilots, who had no idea they were off course.

Heartbreaking as the situation was, Schultz saw an opportunity to prove to the world that the Soviets were the villains of the Cold War. The U.S. immediately suspended all Soviet passenger air service to the United States. It also placed its military forces on heightened alert. There are no records of how Soviet leader Yuri Andropov reacted to the downing of Flight 007.

Heartbreaking as the situation was, Schultz saw an opportunity to prove to the world that the Soviets were the villains of the Cold War. The U.S. immediately suspended all Soviet passenger air service to the United States. It also placed its military forces on heightened alert. There are no records of how Soviet leader Yuri Andropov reacted to the downing of Flight 007.

He had been in power for less than 10 months and was in the hospital when the incident happened. But other Soviet officials were quick to respond. They claimed it was orchestrated by the US as a deliberate provocation meant to undermine the Soviet Union's peace efforts. If tensions were high between the two superpowers before, they had now reached a boiling point.

He had been in power for less than 10 months and was in the hospital when the incident happened. But other Soviet officials were quick to respond. They claimed it was orchestrated by the US as a deliberate provocation meant to undermine the Soviet Union's peace efforts. If tensions were high between the two superpowers before, they had now reached a boiling point.

A few weeks after the attack, Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Petrov was making dinner for his wife Raya. It was September 26, 1983. Raya was sick and battling cancer and had become extremely weak. Petrov brought the food on a tray to her in bed in their small, sparsely decorated apartment. Raya thanked him in a weak voice as Petrov sat beside her and helped her eat.

A few weeks after the attack, Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Petrov was making dinner for his wife Raya. It was September 26, 1983. Raya was sick and battling cancer and had become extremely weak. Petrov brought the food on a tray to her in bed in their small, sparsely decorated apartment. Raya thanked him in a weak voice as Petrov sat beside her and helped her eat.

As he tipped a glass of water into her mouth, the phone rang. Petrov answered. It was someone from the Serpukhov 15 base calling. Another senior officer at the station was sick. They wanted Petrov to cover the night shift. He didn't want to leave Raya, but he had no choice. He agreed and put on his uniform, then kissed his wife goodbye.

As he tipped a glass of water into her mouth, the phone rang. Petrov answered. It was someone from the Serpukhov 15 base calling. Another senior officer at the station was sick. They wanted Petrov to cover the night shift. He didn't want to leave Raya, but he had no choice. He agreed and put on his uniform, then kissed his wife goodbye.

He said he hoped she'd get some sleep and that he'd see her in the morning. Tensions at work had been high since the Korean Airlines incident, and Petrov felt the stress acutely. The pressure intensified as Soviet officials publicly claimed that the US deliberately sent Flight 007 into Soviet airspace, most likely to spy.

He said he hoped she'd get some sleep and that he'd see her in the morning. Tensions at work had been high since the Korean Airlines incident, and Petrov felt the stress acutely. The pressure intensified as Soviet officials publicly claimed that the US deliberately sent Flight 007 into Soviet airspace, most likely to spy.

Meanwhile, news broadcasts in the Soviet Union showed NATO allies testing new ballistic missiles during military exercises. A Soviet official cautioned that these missiles could potentially be used for a surprise attack against the USSR. Petrov thought that relations between the two great powers were now at their very worst.

Meanwhile, news broadcasts in the Soviet Union showed NATO allies testing new ballistic missiles during military exercises. A Soviet official cautioned that these missiles could potentially be used for a surprise attack against the USSR. Petrov thought that relations between the two great powers were now at their very worst.

It was bad enough that his wife was sick, but now it seemed like the entire globe was on the brink of World War III. And this time, two sides had access to nuclear arms. Petrov pulled up to Serpukhov 15 about an hour later. The moon was bright and nearly full, and he could feel the season's first chill.

It was bad enough that his wife was sick, but now it seemed like the entire globe was on the brink of World War III. And this time, two sides had access to nuclear arms. Petrov pulled up to Serpukhov 15 about an hour later. The moon was bright and nearly full, and he could feel the season's first chill.

He walked inside the concrete building and, as he had done countless times before, took his position at the command center. At midnight Moscow time, Petrov glanced at the monitors displaying data from Soviet satellites, which kept a close eye on their adversaries from 20,000 miles above the Earth. Everything seemed normal.

He walked inside the concrete building and, as he had done countless times before, took his position at the command center. At midnight Moscow time, Petrov glanced at the monitors displaying data from Soviet satellites, which kept a close eye on their adversaries from 20,000 miles above the Earth. Everything seemed normal.

But as he sipped a cup of tea and chatted with a colleague, an alarm suddenly blared. The persistent noise was jarring and didn't sound like the usual exercise signal. Petrov looked up at a monitor. Large red letters flashed over a white background with a clear and frightening message. Launch. His eyes shot from the screen to the other analysts.