Nuclear Close Calls Quiz

In 1983, who was the Soviet officer that decided against launching a retaliatory nuclear strike?

• Boris Yeltsin

• Stanislav Petrov

• Mikhail Gorbachev

• Nikita Khrushchev

What was the purpose of the rocket launched by American and Norwegian scientists in 1995?

• To test a new missile defense system

• To study the northern lights

• To simulate a nuclear attack

• To deliver supplies to a space station

During the Norwegian rocket incident, what did Russian radar operators mistakenly believe the rocket to be?

• A weather balloon

• A commercial airplane

• A high-altitude nuclear attack

• A satellite launch

What action did President Boris Yeltsin take during the Norwegian rocket incident?

• He activated the nuclear keys

• He ordered a retaliatory strike

• He dismissed the threat as a false alarm

• He contacted the United Nations for assistance

Which historical event is noted as the only time nuclear keys were activated?

• The Norwegian rocket incident

• The Berlin Blockade

• The Stanislav Petrov incident

• The Cuban Missile Crisis