Abel Archer.

 Way back in November 1983 there was a NATO Exercise called Abel Archer, which almost brought the destruction of the world. The doomsday possibilities were sketched out in a disturbing programme on BBC Four in Secrets and Spies : A Nuclear Game. The scenario was of heighten anxiety in the Kremlin, but thankfully we had a double agent at the time In the UK. In addition we had Cruise missiles at Greenham Common, from the US. Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan, were then in power. and he made his famous speech about the Soviet Union as an "evil empire". The former head of GCHQ Sir David Omand was greatly impressed with the critical information given to Mrs Thatcher, by the double agent (OG). The Cold War was then - very hot indeed - nevertheless we managed to survive it and now we face greater uncertainty with Ukraine, the war in Gaza, Tawain and bellicose Iran.