# Defcon Levels, History Of?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defcon-levels-history-of/287356>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 30, 2005, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defcon-levels-history-of/287356 "2005-01-30T01:40:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2005, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defcon-levels-history-of/287356/1 "2005-01-30T01:40:16Z")

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So I was reading about DEFCON levels at [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEFCON), and they mention how we were on DEFCON level 2 during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and DEFCON level 3 during the [Yom Kippur War](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom_Kippur_War). I was wondering if there is a compiled history of the dates that our Defense Condition level was raised or lowered. I gather that it is a rather serious thing to raise DEFCON levels and not one that happens often. For example, even after Reagon was shot, we still [remained at](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=296560&highlight=defcon) DEFCON level 5. On 9/11, [we went to](http://www.rotten.com/library/crime/terrorism/september_11/) DEFCON 3. (There, that link should make all Bush haters happy 😃 )

I searched the SDMB and did some googling, but was unable to find a defcon timeline, [except for this one](http://defcon.game-mod.net/page.php?file=timeline), in which Aerosia and The Rebulic of Ebres engage in a conventional non-nuclear land war for global supremecy in the year 2196. So I think that’s not it. And no, they do not have 2190s style death rays.

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**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\
**Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defcon-levels-history-of/287356/2 "2005-01-31T15:38:23Z")

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_bump_

C’mon, defcon levels are cool!!