1983
Petrov averts nuclear war
At a Soviet early-warning bunker, Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Petrov saw his screens show five incoming American nuclear missiles.
Beirut barracks bombing
A suicide truck bomber drove into the US Marine compound at Beirut airport and detonated twelve thousand pounds of explosives.
KAL 007 shot down
A Korean Air Lines Boeing 747 flying from Anchorage to Seoul strayed into Soviet airspace over Sakhalin.
US invades Grenada
After a coup on the Caribbean island of Grenada and concerns about American medical students there, Ronald Reagan sent Marines in.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1983?
Saeculum lists 4 events from 1983. The most significant is Petrov averts nuclear war: At a Soviet early-warning bunker, Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Petrov saw his screens show five incoming American nuclear missiles.
What era was 1983 part of?
1983 falls within the Modern Era (1901-2000). World wars, cold war, and the splitting of the atom.
Which regions saw notable events in 1983?
The events from 1983 span Europe, Middle East, East Asia and North America.