"During the Cold War, Russia used the former U.S. air base at Da Nang in Vietnam to fly occasional reconnaissance missions. The Russian "Bear" tracked U.S. Navy carrier and submarine forces. The alliance of Russia and Vietnam remained strong after the long wars against France and America. Russian and Vietnamese MiGs patrolled the skies together, escorting Tupolev "Backfire" bombers who hunted the U.S. Navy carriers.

One late Sunday night, a Russian major stumbled into his command post just outside of the huge air base in Da Nang. The Major, a communications officer, manned the base along with the Vietnamese air force and a large contingent of Russian army personnel.

Tonight, however, the major had been drinking. His wife had just left him, his pay had been docked for an angry outburst and he was on duty alone during the late Sunday night hours. No Russian or Vietnamese planes were in the air. No U.S. military forces were near Vietnam.

Suddenly in Moscow, the airwaves crackled with urgent messages. U.S. carrier forces were attacking Vietnam. American missile submarines were detected moving toward firing positions in the south Pacific. U.S. Marines were landing and fighting their way into the heroic outpost at Da Nang.

The Soviet war-machine responded instantly by going on full alert. Nuclear tipped missiles were rolled into ready positions. Squadrons of bombers and fighters were scrambled into the air. Entire divisions of the Russian paratroopers were mobilized and prepared to fly to the rescue. Russian warships in the Pacific changed course and headed at full speed toward Vietnam.

U.S. strategic forces watched the sudden rise in Russian activity by satellite. As a precautionary response, American missiles and bombers were moved into alert positions. Navy carrier aircraft were armed and ordered to watch the sudden moves of Russian warships.

In Hanoi, Vietnamese military officials awoke that Sunday night with a frantic call from Moscow. After passing assurances that no B-52s were flying over the city, Hanoi dispatched a team from the People's Air Force headquarters at Da Nang. They discovered the drunken Russian officer rambling at the radio and ended his fictional calls for global thermonuclear war. For the next week, U.S. and Russian forces eyed each other cautiously as the alerts were gradually reduced.

Glad the Cold War is over? This can't happen now, right?

On Jan. 25, 1995, a report published by the Russian news agency Interfax, stated that Russian air defense forces had shot down a missile aimed at the country from Western Europe. In response, NATO defense sources quickly revealed that Norway had launched a civilian research rocket from Andoya, in northern Norway, to investigate the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) over Svalbard -- a group of islands some 400 miles north of the country. According to the reports from NATO, three Russian radar sites observed the rocket, but it did not cross Russian territory and was not fired at by air defense forces.

In a televised appearance on Jan. 27, 1995, President Yeltsin praised the Russian military for detecting and tracking a Norwegian research missile on Jan. 25. The event caused a stir after Interfax erroneously reported that the missile had been aimed at Russia and then shot down.

Yeltsin said he used his "black box" for the first time during the event. The military thought the missile might be headed toward Russia and while it was in flight, President Yeltsin consulted with top military officials using his "black box" emergency communication equipment.

"I immediately contacted the Minister of Defense and the generals, and we kept track of that missile from beginning to end," said Yeltsin.

The research rocket landed in the vicinity of the Svalbard Archipelago. The closest it came to Russia was about 150 miles from the country's airspace. On Jan. 31, 1995, the Russian minister of defense announced the military was informed in advance about the Norwegian rocket launch. A Russian Foreign Ministry official said his department had twice passed on advance information to the Defense Ministry regarding the launch of the Norwegian research rocket.

Yuriy Fokin, Russia's ambassador to Norway confirmed that Norway had complied with the usual notification procedures regarding the rocket launch. Fokin said "a misunderstanding which must not be repeated" caused the confusion.

According to reports published in Aviation Week and Space Technology, Yeltsin came within two minutes of launching a nuclear strike against the United States. The report also noted allegations that the Russian Federation president was drunk during the entire event.

The debate should not be whether America needs a defense against the foolish, the careless, the angry or the mad. Are we to leave the world's fate to men such as these when a few billion dollars can buy America a last-ditch defense against the unthinkable? The price of a destroyed city, and a million dead will be howls for an all out war of revenge, which may consume the world."

Dead heat... but a bit of funny

somebody's on Bush's payroll

This would make an excellent movie. lol.

I thought so ... hollywoodized will do

U.S. will never attack Vietnam no matter what in the future holds.

U.S. and Vietnam will be allies or good friends in the near future.


Woo hoo! Go U.S. power.


Don't wake the sleeping giant.

Woohoo we have a Vietnamese Nostradamus in here.