"Warren?" "You'll wakeyourselfup." "I'll getyou breakfast." "No time." "The meeting starts at 1 0:00." "Don't worry about it." "They always have coffee there." "You're flying down?" "I'll check out one ofthe trainers." "Then I can get backwhen I want." "What areyou doing today?" "Shopping." "Have to get clothes for the boys." "They grow so fast." "Need any money?" "I cashed a check." "I had the dream again." "Always ends at the same place." "I guess that'sjust as well." "Sometime I'm going to see that matador, find out who he is." "When I do, that's the end ofme." "Don't talk like that." "It's only a dream." "Maybe I ought to resign." "What good would that do?" "I'm sure it would make the dream go away." "They're connected." "Katie, the dream and what I'm doing" "Sometimes I feel the onlyway I can make it disappear is to resign." "Butyou can't resign." "You can't give upyourwhole life." "You're my life too." "You and the boys." "Maybe I have to choose." "Or maybe it's too late." "Warren, don't go." "Skip the meeting." "Tell them mywife insists I go shopping?" "I'll skip the shopping." "We could have lunch together." "We haven't done that in months." "A little French restaurant with wine." "This meeting is special." "The secretarywill be there." "They're even holding it in the war room to show how up-to-date we are." "You could do with a day off." "In the middle ofthe week?" "That's immoral." "We can go out for dinner." "I'll be back by then." "IfI can get a sitter." "You got me." "You can get anything." "What would I do withoutyou?" "You wouldn't do verywell." "There's no chance ofthat, is there?" "None at all." "Firstyousaid 100million dead." "Firstyousaid 100million dead." "Nowyou say 60 million." "I say 60 million is perhaps the highest price... we should be prepared to pay in a war." "What's the difference between 60 million dead and a hundred million?" " Forty million." " Some difference." "Areyou saying saving 40 million lives is ofno importance?" "You miss the point, Professor." "Saving those 60 million lives is what's important." "Face facts, Mr. Foster." "We're talking about war." "Everywar, including thermonuclearwar, must have a winner and a loser." "Which would you rather be?" "In a nuclearwar, everyone loses." "War isn't what it used to be." "It's still the resolution ofeconomic and political conflict." "What kind ofresolution with 1 00 million dead?" " It doesn't have to be 1 00 million." " Even 60!" "The same as a thousand years ago, sir... when you also had wars that wiped out whole peoples." "The point is still who wins and who loses, the survival ofa culture." "A culture?" "With most ofits people dead... the rest dying, the food poisoned... the air unfit to breathe." " You call that a culture?" " Yes, I do." "I am not a poet." "I'm a political scientist... who would rather have an American culture survive than a Russian one." "But what would it really be like?" "Who would survive?" "It's an interesting question." "I would predict... convicts and file clerks." "The worst convicts, those deep down in solitary confinement... and the most ordinary file clerks... probably for large insurance companies... because theywould be in fireproofed rooms... protected by tons ofthe best insulator in the world: paper." "Then imagine what will happen." "The small group ofvicious criminals will fight the army offile clerks... for the remaining means oflife." "The convicts will know violence... but the file clerks will know organization." "Who doyou thinkwill win?" "It's all hypothesis, ofcourse, but fun to play around with." "Time to go home." "I didn't mean to hold forth so long." "I don't usually come to a supper party and talk through to breakfast." "Nonsense." "We were fascinated." "I hope we didn't keepyou from yourwork." "Not at all." "I've got a 1 0:00 meeting at the Pentagon." "Plenty oftime to get home and change." "You must come again, Professor Groeteschele, with yourwife." "I'd be delighted." "I'm lisa Wolfe." "We were introduced before dinner." "I'd likeyou to take me home." "You'll have to give me directions." "Just stay on this road." "You couldjoke about the convicts and file clerks... becauseyou know there won't be any survivors." "Not many." "None at all." "That's the beauty ofit." "I've heard nuclearwar called a lot ofthings, but never beautiful." "People are afraid to call it that, but that's what they feel." "The beauty ofdeath?" "Don't patronize me." "What else but that areyou selling, Professor?" "We all know we're going to die... butyou make a marvelous game out ofit that includes the whole world." " You make it seem possible." " It is possible, even probable." "You make death an entertainment... something that can be played in a living room." "As good a place as any." "There's an even better place." "Turn in there." "This whereyou live?" "Don'tjoke." "Why not?" "I am thejoker." "I make death into a game for people likeyou to get excited about." "I watched you tonight." "You'd love making it possible." "You'd love pressing that button." "What a thrill that would be." "Knowing you have to die... to have the power to take everyone else with you... the mob ofthem with their plans, their little hopes... born to be murdered and turning away from it... closing their eyes to it." "You could be the one to make it true, do it to them." "Butyou're afraid... soyou look for the thrill someplace else." "And who better than a man who isn't afraid?" "I'm notyour kind." " Airman?" " Sir?" "General Bogan should be on his way in." "Tell him I checked out the new computer." "I'll be back on duty before he leaves to check it out again with him." " Yes, sir." " I'll be in my quarters ifhe wants me." " Yes, sir." "Sir?" " Yes?" "A telephone message foryou." "Theywantyou to call back, said it was urgent." "Line, please." "Hello." "Yes, I got the message." "Why doyou think I'm calling?" "Where did he get the money?" "No, I'll come myself." "I'm going into town, Airman." "That's the address." "I'll be there about a halfan hour, then I'm coming back to the base." "Yes, sir." "Better button up before the general gets here." "Yes, sir." "General Bogan's office." "Airman Slote." "No, sir, General." "Hejust left." "Damn it, I need him." "Where did he sign out to?" "Conklin, you know where that is?" "Yes, sir." "It's on the way to the base." "Get over there." "I'll pick him up myself, Airman." "Thankyou." " This is the house, General." " You sure this is it?" "There's not another street by this name?" "I've in Omaha all my life." "I know this city like the back ofmy hand." "Don't bother getting out." " Spending the money I send you on this!" " Give me that!" "You raiseyour hand against my mother once more" "Just a drop!" "Who the hell areyou?" " Yeah?" " I'm General Bogan." "I'm looking for Colonel Cascio." "He gave this address." " Sure, General." " Let the gentleman in, Luke." "Honored to haveyou." "My son always speaks well ofyou." "Sorry to botheryou, Colonel." "We have some unexpected VI Ps we have to show around." "Yes, sir." "I'll be right along." "Why don'tyou come in, General?" "Thankyou, I" "I just take a drop now and then." "The boy here gets a little excited." "I'm ready, sir." "Damn snot-nosed kid." "It's that Congressman Raskob, who's been nosing around the bases." "Washington wants us to put his mind at ease." " He's on one ofthose committees." " Yes, sir." "Gordon Knapp will also be there to look at that equipment his company makes." "He'll be on our side." "Anyone looks cross-eyed at his stuff, he goes up like a rocket." "Yes, sir." "Time was when I'd say, "goes up like a balloon."" " Times change." " Yes, sir." "Ploesti wasarough one." "We lost halfour group." "Regensburg was the worst one for us." "I never flew the B-1 7, only B-24s." "The 24 was a good airplane." "You knewyou were flying it, not the otherway around, like today's things." "You still have to fly the Vindicator, Grady." "We're the last ofthe lot, Flynn." "Don't kid yourselfabout that." " The next airplanes won't need men." " You'll be too old, anyway." "After us, the machines." "We're halfway there already." "Look at those kids." "Remember the crews you had on the 24s?" "Jews, Italians, all kinds." "You could tell them apart." "Theywere people." "These kids" " You open them up, you'll find they run on transistors." " They're good kids." " Sure." "You know they're good at theirjobs, butyou don't know them." "How can you?" "We get a different crew every time we go up." "That's policy, Grady." "It eliminates the personal factor." "Everything is more complicated now." "Reaction time is faster." "You can't depend on people the same way." "Who doyou depend on?" "All right, gentlemen." "The sky awaits." "You know something, Billy?" "I like the personal factor." "Those are Vindicator bombers ofthe Strategic Air Command... on routine patrol." "Each one ofthose planes carries four Bloodhound air-to-air missiles... armed with nuclearwarheads." "Those are for use against attacking enemy planes." "In addition, each plane carries two 20-megaton hydrogen bombs... designed to detonate over enemy targets." "At any given moment, night or day, those airplanes are in the air... in case ofany surprise attack on our bases." "You can see some ofthe other groups" " Who controls them?" " We do." "This room is the nerve center, Mr. Raskob." "These machines are constantly receiving information from all over the world." "And above it." "Mr. Knapp's company did the electronic work on the Argos satellite." "Would you like to see what it's photographing right now?" "Colonel." "This pictureyou're about to see is being taken now... by a camera 300 miles in the sky traveling 20,000 miles an hour." "Can you give us tighter scale on this?" "Colonel?" "Those are the rocket sites from 300 miles up." " I'm impressed." " We'll get it sharper soon." "Be able to see the people, notjust the machines." "We'll showyou the hair on their head." "I suppose they're doing the same to us." "You can see foryourself." "Let's take a look at the Russian submarines in the Pacific." "There's the western coast ofthe United States, Hawaiian Islands... and those are Russian subs." " That close?" " Nearest is 50 miles offSan Francisco." "International waters." "Nothing we can do except keep an eye on it." "That's too damn close." "What's it doing there?" "Scanning us, the waywe do them." "Is it armed?" "We have instruments so good, they can tell the difference... between a whale breaking wind and that sub blowing its tanks." "No argument, General." "I'm sure we've got the best money can buy." " We're proud ofwhat we do here." " You ought to be, Colonel." " The money is well spent." " I don't doubt it for a minute." "And you don't have to snow me." "My committee doesn't deal with appropriations... onlywith how the appropriations are spent." "You see it all around you." "Pretty impressive, isn't it?" "Truthfully, these machines scare the hell out ofme." "I don't like the idea that every time I take offmy hat... some thing up there knows I'm losing my hair." "I want to be sure that thing doesn't get any ideas ofits own." "I see whatyou mean, but that's a chanceyou take with these systems." "Who says we have to take that chance?" "Who voted who the power to do it this particularway?" "I'm the only one around here that got elected by anybody." "Nobody gave me that power." "It's in the nature oftechnology." "Machines are developed to meet situations." "Then they take over, they start creating situations." " Not necessarily." " There's always the chance." "We have checks and counterchecks on everything." "Who checks the checker?" "Where's the end ofthe line?" "Who's got the responsibility?" " The president." " No one." "He can't know everything that's going on." "It's too complicated." "Ifyou want to know, that's what really bothers me." "The only thing everyone can agree on is that no one's responsible." "Is something wrong, General?" "UFO sighted near Hudson's Bay, sir." "Whatyou're seeing, gentlemen, is an unidentified flying object... picked up by our radar." "Until we get positive identification, we regard it as hostile." "What doyou do about it?" "We've gone to Condition Blue, which is our lowest form ofreadiness." "At the same time, we've informed those Vindicator bombers... thatyou saw in the air before." "Theywill now start to fly toward their fail-safe points." "" Fail-safe"?" "Fixed points in the sky on the perimeter ofthe Soviet Union... which are changed from day to day." "The planes will fly to those points and orbit... until they get a positive order to go in." "And ifthey don't get that order?" "They return to their normal patrols." "In short, we can't go to war except on an express order." "How do they get that order, by radio?" "Yes, and through a box we call the fail-safe box aboard each plane... which can only be activated at the express order ofthe president." " He has to tell them?" " Not directly." "His voice can be imitated." "Hejust gives the order and the rest is done electronically." "No one can interfere with the fail-safe box, Mr. Raskob." "All those new blips you see are fighter planes... going after the unidentified object." "Colonel Cascio, tight scale, please." "You seem pretty cool about this, General." "Does it happen often?" "About six times a month." "Probably an airliner offcourse." " And ifit isn't?" " Then it's something else." "That means it's at 30,000 feet, going 525 miles an hour... on a compass heading of 1 96." "Headed right for Detroit." "Sevenminutes to fail-safe." "Normal procedure, Mr. Raskob." "We start an automatic countdown at this point." "It's very unlikely the bombers will even reach their fail-safe points." "It happens one time in twenty." "We usually identify the disturbance well before that." "Sixminutes to fail-safe." "What haveyou got there, Blackie?" "Another UFO?" "For a dollar, a commercial plane or a flock ofbirds?" "Plane." "Offcourse." "You ought to give me odds." "I read your memo on counterforce credibility." "I don't think Groeteschele will discuss that today." "You think I should lay off?" "Why open a can ofpeas?" "We've got to discuss it one ofthese days, Stark." "This whole policy ofoverkill" "It makes no sense piling up bombs when we already have a capacity" "Just not today." "Good morning, Mr. Secretary." " Won'tyou sit over there?" " Thankyou." " Good morning, Mr. Secretary." " Good morning, gentlemen." " Everyone here, General Stark?" " Yes, sir." "All right, Professor Groeteschele." "I see we have an alert to supplement our discussion." "Unfortunately, we settled the question ofaccidental war last week... so we can't make use ofit today." "Today the subject is limited war." "It is not theoretical." "On it depends the kind ofweapons we use... where we locate them, how we use them." "In short, our entire military posture." "Is limited war possible?" "Can we confine the exchange ofnuclearweapons... to military targets alone... or must war lead inevitably to the destruction ofcities?" " It must." " Why?" "The object ofwar is to inflict maximum damage on the enemy... destroy his ability to resist." "In the last war, both sides could have used bacterial warfare." " They didn't." " It wouldn't have been decisive." "Can you be sure?" "Maybe people still couldn't get used to the idea ofkilling civilians." "Take that up with the civilians of London, Hamburg, Dresden orTokyo... killed by the thousands in bombing raids." "I omit Hiroshima and Nagasaki... since those actions belong more properly to World War III... than World War II." "I still don't see how we could restrict a war." "We could come to a mutual agreement with the Russians... to strike only at missile bases." "What ifthe missile bases were near the cities?" "Theywould have an incentive to move them elsewhere." "They might take such an offer as a sign ofweakness on our part." " It could be worth a try." " They have as much to lose as we have." "We're talking about the wrong subject." "We've got to stop war, not limit it." "That is not up to us, General Black." "We're the ones who know most about it." "You're a soldier, Blackie." "You carry out policy." " You don't make it." " Don't kid yourself, Stark." "The waywe say a war can be fought is making policy." "Ifwe saywe can fight a limited warwith nuclearweapons... we let everyone offthe hook." "It's what theywant to hear." "We canjust keep doing what we're doing, and nobody really gets hurt." "Butyou can't fight a limited war, and you know it." "I'm not so sure." "There's no such thing as a limited war anymore." "Not with hydrogen bombs." "Once those bombs start to drop, you won't be able to limit a thing." "Areyou advocating disarmament?" "I don't know." "It's the logic ofyour position." "Peculiar reversal." "The press would be interested." "The military man who is the dove, and the civilian who is the hawk." "We're going too fast." "Things are getting out ofhand." "Can you be more specific, General?" "We're all trying to make war more efficient." " That's ourjob." " And we're succeeding." "We now have the capacity to blow up the whole world several times over." "Which does not mean we must do it." "We won't be able to stop from doing it." "That's the logic ofyour position." "We're setting up a war machine that acts faster... than the ability ofmen to control it." "We're putting men into situations that are too tough for men to handle." "Then we must toughen the men." "Suppose they launch a first strike against us?" "Then we retaliate, and we're all finished." "Would you prefer that onlywe were finished?" "We have to prepare." "We're preparing." "We've got to slow down." "I disagree." "We have got to speed up." "Naturally, that means taking risks... but our intention is always to minimize those risks." "Ofcourse, we can only control our own actions." "Our concept oflimited war is based on an equal rationality by the Russians." "It also presupposes there will be no accidents on either side." "But suppose that unidentified flying object... was one oftheir 50-megaton missiles that had gotten loose by mistake." "What could be done?" "How could they prove it was really an accident?" "Would it make any difference ifthey could?" "Even ifwe believe them, should we still think oflimiting our response... or should we hit them back with everything we have?" "It's gone, General." "What happened to it?" "Colonel Cascio, let's go to Condition Yellow." "It's dropped below the level in which our radar can pick it up." "You went to the next state ofreadiness." "That's standard operating procedure." "It could be a commercial plane about to crash." "Or an enemy plane taking evasive action." "Naturally, we prepare for the worst." "Twominutes to fail-safe." "What are those planes following the bomber, General?" "Fighter support." "Part ofCondition Yellow." "From now on, they'll follow the bombers as far as they go." " What comes after Condition Yellow?" " Green." " And then?" " Red." "But we've never gone to red yet." "Red means war, doesn't it?" " Not an air breather?" " What does that mean?" "Jet planes suck air through their engines." "Ourwarning system can pick up the turbulence this creates." "Ifa commercial plane lost power, no turbulence would be created." "It could be a rocket." "Offcourse?" "Maybe on." "Oneminute to fail-safe." "It could be a Russian rocket coming in low where our radar can't pick it up." " Could it be that?" " It could be anything." " How doyou find out?" " Our fighters are tracking it." "Can't wait too long." "13, 12, 1 1, 10, 9... 8, 7, 6, 5, 4... 3, 2, 1." "Allgroupsatfail-safepoint." "Right on the dot." "That's flying." " Yes, sir?" " Go to Condition Green." "Tell the planes to keep orbiting until we positively identify the UFO." " That's their orders." " Tell them again." " You'll have to leave now." " Sorry." " That is an order." " You've got the wrong customer." "The way I see, we could be at war injust about two minutes." "You can't get me back to my family, so I'm staying here to see what happens." "There's no place foryou here." "Ifthose bombs go off, there's no place for me anywhere." "You want me out ofhere, you better call the military police." " I think it's coming up again." " We can't wait any longer, sir." "Give me a tight scale." "That's it, gentlemen." "Sorrywe alarmed you." "Contact all the planes and have them resume their normal patrols." "Yes, sir." "Colonel Grady?" "What is it, Thomas?" "What's the longestyou ever stayed at these fail-safe points?" "The longest I ever stayed was three minutes... but it seemed like threeyears." " This your first time?" " Yes, sir." " Nervous?" " No, sir." "It's only natural." "I wasjust calculating fuel, sir." "How is the group holding formation, Sullivan?" "They're right in orbit, sir." "Even number six is tucked in." "Old Flynn." "Halfman, halfbird." "Thankyou very much, General." "I must say, it was quite" " What's that, Colonel?" " Checking, sir." "It's okay here." "Send in a K-1 3." "Something blew in the fault indicator." "We're replacing the whole unit." "The fault indicator is our master control." "It tells us ifsomething goes wrong in any ofthese other components." " Did something go wrong?" " No sign ofit." "We'll know as soon as they replace the unit." "Sir, the fail-safe box." "There must be some mistake." "Check Omaha." "Can't get through, Colonel." "Interference." "What kind ofinterference?" "I don't know, sir." "It's a kind I never heard before." "Try another band." "Try all ofthem." "Can't get through." "They must be trying to keep us from getting our go signal." "They're too late for that." "Request permission to authenticate on secondary channel." "Permission granted." "Order confirmed." "Request permission to verify, sir." "Permission granted." "Code sequence correct for today, sir." "Signal is go." "We will now both open our operational orders." "Ready for approach and penetration orders, sir." "You say these alerts happen halfa dozen times a month?" "About that." "Not usually so dramatic." "We rarely get to the fail-safe point." "I'd be a nervous wreck." "So would I ifI had to make a speech in Congress." "That blip up there at ten o'clock." "It's headed into Russia." "That is why some people advocate a return to manned bombers... for a first-rate retaliation, rather than missiles." "They are slower and give more time for evaluation and analysis." "The rockets have the defects oftheirvirtues." "They are too quick." "They allow too little time for thought." "I find this point ofview old-fashioned." "By the very nature ofmodern warfare, the" "Put that on polar projection." " Yes, sir?" " Get me the president." "I'm Buck, the translator." "They sent for me." "May I seeyour identification?" "It says you have a small scar on your left wrist." "May I see it?" "Yeah." "Dog bit me when I was a kid." "Yes, sir." "Hello, Buck." "How's your Russian today?" "Fine, sir." "I guess." "Good." "We may need it." "Hang on,Jennie." "It's a long way down." "TellJoe nothing leaks to the newspapers yet." "Call the vice president and tell him what's up." "He'll know what to do." "On second thought, we better tell the press something." "HaveJoe tell them it's urgent, but not a bone-breaker so far." "And offthe record, no leaks." "Any leaks on this, the guy and his paper are dead now and forever." "I'll tellJoe injust those words." "Who's at the Pentagon briefing today?" "I want them in on this." "Secretary of Defense." "Chiefs ofStaff." "That Professor Groeteschele they like so much is giving the lecture." " Is Blackie there?" " There's a General Black." "That's Blackie." "I'm glad he's there." "We went to college together." "He's got a brain and says what he thinks." "That's all for now." "Get to work." "Have them turn up the air-conditioning." "It's hot as hell down here." "We're far enough down." "Maybe it is hell." " You know what's happened?" " No, sir." "One ofourVindicator groups got a wrong signal." "They took offto bomb Moscow." "We've got to stop it." "Easier said than done." "But we've got a little time;" "not much, but a little, so relax." "Easier said than done, sir." "Ifthings get really hot..." "I might have to use the direct phone to the Kremlin." "That's whereyou'll come in." "Let's hope we don't get that far." "I hope not, sir." " GeneralBogan from Omaha, sir." " Put him on." "Group Six is now about 200 miles past fail-safe, Mr. President." "We still can't make contact." " Doyouknow what went wrong?" " No, sir, we do not." "Why can'tyouraise them byradio?" "We don't know for sure, sir." "We've tried all frequencies." "Wejust can't make contact." " Why?" " Idon'tknow." "We had a flash on the board just before it happened... and the fault indicator blew out at the same time." "The Russians may bejamming their reception with some new device... weknownothingabout." "Whywould they do that?" "Is it customary?" "No, sir, but it's possible." "In otherwords, it's possible the fail-safe mechanism... might be giving them a go signal... at the same time they can't reach you for positive confirmation." "It's possible." "It's not probable, but" " Is it possible?" " Yes, sir." "All right." "Ifwe regain radio contact... will the bombers respond to an order to return?" "Ifwe can reach them within the next five minutes." "After that, their orders are to disregard anyverbal command." "Even ifI talk to them?" "Yourvoice can be imitated by the enemy, sir." "Our men have been drilled in that." "Once they're beyond a certain point... they're not to trust anyverbal transmission." "What's our next step then, General, ifwe follow standard procedure?" "We already have fighter planes in the air." "The next step would be to order the fighters after the bombers... to raise them visually and divert them from their course." "What ifthe bombers don't respond?" "The fighters would be ordered to shoot them down." "Who gives that order?" "You do, sir." "Thankyou, General." "I'll be back toyou." "Get me Mr. Swenson in the Pentagon." "Swenson here." "Mr. Secretary, I have a decision to make." "It's my decision, and I'll make it... but I want the advice ofyou and your people, and I need it fast." "The president says he may have to order our fighters... to shoot down Group Six." "He wants our opinion." "I oppose it, sir, on the grounds that it's premature." "Our planes have notyet reached Soviet territory." "They're still hundreds ofmiles away." "We got to do it right now before it's too late." "It might be too late anyway." "Those fighters swung away from the bombers when they got the all clear." "They've been flying in the opposite direction." " They're faster than the Vindicators." " Not that much faster." "I'm not sure they can catch up in time." "They can go to afterburners." " That will increase their speed." " And use up their fuel." "They'll never be able to get back." "They'll go down in the ocean." " We've got to try it." " Suppose they do catch up?" "Why do they have to attack?" "Can't they signal?" "Our men have been trained to expect anything from the enemy... even sending up his own fighter planes disguised as ours." "They're good men." "We've seen to that." "Iftheir orders are attack, the onlyway to stop them is to shoot them down." "We have no alternative." "This minute the Russians are watching their boards... trying to figure out what we're up to." "Ifwe can't convince them it's an accident that we're trying to correct... we're going to have a situation that nobody bargained for... and only a lunatic wants." "Mr. President... it is our opinion that the fighters should be ordered in." "Thankyou." "General Bogan, please." "Yes, Mr. President?" "The fighters are to overtake the Vindicators... and, ifnecessary, shoot them down." "Sir, it will be necessary." "I know that, General." "Order them in." "Colonel, order the fighters to attack Group Six." "They don't have a prayer ofcatching them, sir." "That is an order." "But that's the Arctic Ocean they'll go down in, General." "They'll freeze to death before they get their chutes off." "Colonel, get on the horn and give that order." "Every second you wait takes them farther away." "We're killing them." "They haven't got a chance." "This is FighterDirection." "Weare in voice communication with Tangle-Abel-One." "Youcan talk to them on Channel7, singlesideband." "Do I tell them in code or in the clear?" "In the clear." "Tangle-Abel-One, this is Colonel Cascio at Ultimate One." "This is Tangle-Abel-One." "Ireadyoufive-by-five." "Group Six has flown through the fail-safe point... and is on an attack course towards Moscow." "It is a mistake." "Go to afterburners and overtake and attack Group Six." "Roger." "Go toafterburnersandovertake andattack Group Six." "Didyouallhearthatorder?" "Overtake the Vindicators?" "Whoare theykidding?" "All wegotisa50-mile-an-houredge." "They'rehalfwayto Moscowalready." "Youheard theman." "Wego toafterburners." "Andusespit torun thisairplane?" "By the time we run outofgas, they'llonlybe 1,000milesaway." " Man, that's organization." " Cut the chatter." "We're wasting time." "On themark, go toafterburners." "Five, four, three, two, one, mark." "Shall I alert Air-Sea Rescue, sir?" "No point." "Bring up the fighters on the board in tight scale." "Yes, sir." "Beautiful." "Fighters on their way, sir." "Thankyou." "Buck, let's hope this all blows over in the next few minutes." "But ifit doesn't, we'll get to know each otherverywell." "Listen to every conversation I have, try to get to know how I think." " It might come in handy." " Yes, sir." " How did General Bogan sound toyou?" " Sir?" "Did he sound worried?" "Confident?" "Scared?" "Not scared." "A little worried, I guess." "Bogan's an old-time flier... but he's not afraid ofall this new equipment." "Ifhe's worried, I'm worried." "Doyou know Mr. Swenson, the secretary ofdefense?" "I've read about him, sir." "You won't be able to tell much from his voice." "He's hard as a rock." "But we listen to him, Buck." "Ifhe gives advice, we take it." "Yes, sir." "Put the war conference room at the Pentagon... and General Bogan in Omaha on a conference line with me." "Yes, sir." "Ready, sir." " Mr. Swenson?" " Yes, Mr. President." "Ifour fighters have to shoot down the Vindicators, the worst is over." "For us, anyway." "I wantyour people now to consider what we do ifwe can't shoot them down." "I'm putting you on the intercom soyou can be heard here and in Omaha." "General Bogan has Mr. Knapp ofAmalgamated Electronics... andCongressman Raskob withhim." "They have my permission to listen in and say anything theywant." "Right, sir." "Gentlemen, we've got four questions to answer and not a lot oftime." "First:" "What happened?" "Second:" "What do we do about it?" "Third:" "What are the Russians going to think about all this?" "And fourth:" "What are they going to do about it?" "Please keep the discussion to those points." "Mechanical failure." " That's what happened." " A double mechanical failure?" " Doyou know the odds against that?" " Maybe someone went berserk." "It doesn't matter." "Something failed: a man, a machine." "It was bound to happen, and it did." "Maybe we'll never know why orwhat." "It doesn't matter now." " Mr. Secretary." " Yes, GeneralBogan." "Mr. Knapp here knows as much about electronic gear as anyone." "He'dlike tosaysomething." "The more complex an electronic system gets... the more accident-prone it is." "Soonerorlater, itbreaks down." " What breaks down?" "A transistor blows." "A condenser burns out." "Sometimes theyjustget tired, likepeople." "Mr. Knapp overlooks one factor." "The machines are supervised by humans." "Even ifthe machine fails, the human can always correct the mistake." "I wish you were right." "The fact is, the machines work so fast... they are so intricate... the mistakes they make are so subtle... that veryoften, ahumanbeingjustcan'tknow... whetheramachineis lying ortelling the truth." "Maybe this time there wasn't any failure." "Maybe the Russians have masked the real position ofGroup Six." "Maybe Group Six is flying back to the States this minute." "Then what's on the board?" "Northern lights?" "Maybe a group ofSoviet planes, up there to convince us... we'veaccidentallylaunched abombergroup." " Forwhat purpose?" " As an excuse to retaliate." "Iftheywanted to do that, theywouldn't need an excuse." " They'dsimplyattack." " This way, we commit our fighters... our firstline ofdefense, andmade uskillourownmen." "I disagree with that analysis!" "We have to assume it is our accident and not their plan." "I agree, General." "Yes, Saunders?" "A report that the Russians have seven bomber groups in the air." " Is that unusual?" " That's normal for them." " About like us." " What kind ofcourse are they on?" "Normal patrol patterns inside their own borders." "They have an abnormally large number offighters in the air, sir." "Almost halftheir fighter strength." "They're having the same problem with Group Six that we had with the UFO." "They don't know what it is, why it's there orwho it belongs to." "My guess is that they know all about Group Six." "They saw it fly to the fail-safe point." "They've seen that happen before." "They know the procedure." "So far, nosweat." " And when they saw it fly past" "They sent up their fighter planes just in case." "I don't think they'll take any action unless their border is crossed." "Agreed." "That puts it up to the fighters." "In my opinion, theywill take no action at all." "Theywon'tjust sit there." "I think ifour bombers get through, the Russians will surrender." "Who is the professor, Mr. Secretary?" "What's he doing there?" "Professor Groeteschele is a civilian advisor to the Pentagon, General." "Will you explain your statement, Professor?" "The Russian aim is to dominate the world." "They think that Communism must succeed eventually... ifthe Soviet Union is left reasonably intact." "They know that a warwould leave the Soviet Union utterly destroyed." "Therefore, theywould surrender." "But suppose they feel they can knock us off first?" "They know we might have a doomsday system:" "missiles that will go into action days, even weeks, after a war is over... and destroy an enemy even after that enemy has already destroyed us." "Maybe they think even capitalists aren't that insane... to want to kill after they themselves have been killed." "These are Marist fanatics, not normal people." "They do not reason the way you reason, General Black." "They're not motivated by human emotion such as rage and pity." "They are calculating machines." "Theywill look at the balance sheet, and theywill see they cannot win." "Then you suggest doing what?" " Nothing." " Nothing?" "The Russians will surrender... and the threat ofCommunism will be over forever." "That's a lot ofhogwash." "Don't kid yourself." "There will be Russian generals who would reactjust as I would:" "the best defense is a good offense." "They see trouble coming up, they'll attack and won't care what Mar said." "Mr. Secretary, I am convinced... when the Russians know bombs will fall on Moscow, theywill surrender." "They know that whatever they do then, they cannot escape destruction." "Don'tyou see, sir?" "This is our chance." "We neverwould have made the first move deliberately... but Group Six has made it for us by accident." "We must take advantage ofit." "History demands it." "Wemustadvise thepresident not torecall thoseplanes." "They're flaming out." "He's firing anyway." "There goes number two." "Mr. President, the fighters have not succeeded." "They'vegone down into thesea." "What are the chances ofour bombers getting through to Moscow?" "We've made the calculations a hundred times:" "what they have in the way ofdefense, what are planes are capable ofdoing." "The Vindicators fly so fast, the Russian won't be able to use all their defenses." "One or two ofthe bombers will get through." "Thankyou." "Buck, I'll talk to the Soviet premier now." "You'll translate what he says to me." "He'll have his own translator telling him what I say... but I want something more from you." " Yes, sir, whatever I can do." " The premier says what he means... but sometimes there's more in a man's voice than in his words." "There are words in one language that don't mean the same in another." " You follow me?" " I think so, sir." "It's very important the premier and I understand each other." "I don't have to tell you that." "So I want to know what he's saying and whatyou think he's feeling." "Any inflection ofhis voice, any tone... any emotion that adds to his words..." "I wantyou to let me know." " Yes, sir." "I'll do my best." " I knowyou will." "It's all any ofus can do." "Don't be afraid to saywhatyou think." "Don't be afraid all this is too big foryou." "It's big, but it still depends on what each ofus does." "History lesson number one." "I'll talk to Moscow now." "It's thepremier, sir." "Mr. Chairman, this is the president ofthe United States." "Doyou hear me clearly?" "Fine, Mr. President." "How areyou?" "I'm calling you on a matter ofgreat urgency." "I hope it turns out to be a small matter... but it's the first time it's happened." "Ifit's misunderstood, it could be" "Does it have to do with the aircraft... we have detected flying towards Russia?" "Yes, Mr. Chairman." "I suppose it's another ofyour off-course reconnaissance flights." "Mr. President, we have warned you repeatedly... that this constant flying ofarmed aircraft" "This is a serious mistake." "I say, it's a mistake." "Verywell." "Tell me the mistake." "A group ofour bombers each loaded with two 20-megaton bombs... is flying towards your country." "We shall watch with great interest... whileyou recall them." "So farwe have been unable to recall them." "Are the planes being flown by crazy men?" "We're not sure." "It might be a mechanical failure." "All I can tell you is that it's an accident." "It's not an attempt to provoke war." "It's not part ofa general attack." "How do I knowyou do not have hundreds ofother planes... coming in so low our radar cannot pick them up?" "Because I hope to prove toyou that it's an accident-- that we take full responsibility... that we're doing everything we can to correct it." " Go on." " You must have seen... that we sent fighter planes to shoot down the bombers." "American fighters to shoot down American bombers?" "That is correct." " And you gave that order?" " I did." "How do I know that the planes were not simply diving... to a low altitude to escape our radar?" "On our plotting board, the action could only be interpreted... as planes out ofcontrol." "You have the same equipment we do." "What did it tell you?" "It did not tell us what is in your mind, Mr. President." "I'm telling you that." "And you ask me to believeyou?" "You must believe me." "You ask for belief at a curious time." "Ifwe don't trust each other now, Mr. Chairman... there may not be another time." "We sawyour planes fall into the sea." "I wanted only to hearyour explanation... and whether it was done atyour own order." "It is a hard thing to order men to their death, is it not?" "It is." "Sir, there's someone trying to persuade him it's a trick." "Theywant him to strike back at once." "Soviet airspace has still not been violated, Mr. President." "But ifit is, we will be forced to shoot down your bombers." "And then we will come to full alert with all our missiles and planes." "I understand that." "I hopeyou're able to shoot down our bombers." "But I urgeyou not to take any steps that cannot be recalled." "You know we must protect ourselves." "You also know that ifyou launch missiles, we must do the same." "Ifthat happens, there'll be very little left ofthe world." "I understand." "Is there anything more you wish to say?" "IfI may make a suggestion..." "I will arrange to open a conference line... between our headquarters in Omaha... and your similar officials in the Soviet Union." "We will do all we can to helpyou." "We do not need your help." "We are perfectly capable ofdefending our country." "As you wish, but I must tell you what my people tell me." "No matterwhatyou do... at least one ofthe planes will get through to the target." "What is the target?" "Moscow." "I'll call you backwhen I see what our fighters do." "How's the formation holding, Sullivan?" "Everyone in line, sir." " How far from the border?" " Two minutes." "We better start spreading out." "Number six plane in the lead." "Flynn." "Righthere, Colonel." " Go to work." " Roger." "Project the Soviet fighter planes." "Give me tight scale on the Russian border." " That does it." " They've crossed the border." "Well, Buck, we're into Soviet territory." "A technical state ofwar now exists." "Give me Enemy Defense Performance." "This is EnemyDefense Performance Desk, GeneralBogan." "How doyou read the situation?" "Ournumbersixplane carrying defensive equipment... andmasking devices hasmovedinto thelead." "All thosenewblipsyousee are decoys thatit's dropped." "Have the Russian fighters launched any missiles?" "Notyet." "You'llsee theirmissiles onyourscopeas tiny dots... thatappearsuddenly andthen disappear." "Theregosome ofthem now." "Youcansee they're confusedby the decoys." "They'restillnotgrouping where therealplanesare." "Can you wipe the decoys offthe screen so we seejust their planes and ours?" "Thereyouare, General." "They'restillgoingafterdecoys." "Ourboysaren'tmakingiteasy." "Good." "They'vepickedup one ofourplanesnow." "Get them." "Get them!" "Knock that off!" "." "This isn't some damn football game!" "Remember that!" "Thatplane's in trouble." "It looks like the Soviets have a very slow missile... with a much longer range than we thought they had." "The slowness ofspeed made our missile calculate... they must be drones or decoys... so it ignored them and went after the fighters." "We can compensate for that." "The adjustment is minor." "Thepremieris on theline, sir." "Yes, Mr. Chairman?" "We have only a little time left, Mr. President." "His voice is subdued, sir." "It's not angry." "It's subdued." "How shall we use this time?" "He sounds sorrowful, sad." "What luck areyour fighters having?" "Luck?" "No luck at all." "We have shot down only one ofyour bombers." "What about the other five?" "Maybeyes, maybe no." "Your masking devices are better than we had thought." "Hundreds oftargets have appeared on the radar." "Perhaps they are decoys." "Perhaps they are real bombers." "Many ofmy experts are convinced that they are real." "They urge me to release our own bombers at once." "Why don'tyou, then?" " Good question." " Why haven'tyou counterattacked?" "I am gambling thatyou are sincere." "My generals are not so happy with me about this... as I'm sureyour generals are not so happywith you." "But there is time for common sense." "I must have proof, Mr. President." "Neither ofus wants war... but we must be convinced that this is... truly a mistake-- thatyour intentions are not hostile and that there is a chance for peace." "Mr. Chairman, let me askyou something." "Just before our planes took off from their fail-safe point... there was a white flash on our plotting board." "We think this is connected to some mechanical failure... that might have activated their "go" signal." "Could this have been caused byyour radio interference?" "They're arguing with him again, sir-- telling him not to answer-- the information is too secret." "Was ityourjamming that kept us from getting through to our planes?" "I do not know about thisjamming." "I think he does." "We cannot be responsible foryour mechanical failures." "Is it possible?" "Could it have happened?" "You asked for proof, Mr. Chairman." "This could be it." "They're arguing back and forth." "" Don't trustyou."" "" Have to trustyou."" ""It's a trick."" "We're paying for our mutual suspicions, Mr. Chairman." "I realize that, but the wall must be broken." "We have to break it down now." "We can't afford not to trust each other." "Wejammed your radios... with a special device even I did not know about." "I suppose I must be very proud ofour scientists." "It was more effective than anyone dreamed." "But why?" "Why this time?" "We have computers, likeyours." "They computed that this time your alert might be real." "On what grounds?" "Probability." "The law ofaverages." "They have their own logic." "It is not human, but it is positive, so we listen." "Will you lift thejamming so I can talk to the group commander?" " Will he return on your command?" " There's a chance." "I'll give that order." "General Bogan." "Yes, Mr. President." "Put me through to Group Six, fast." "Right away, sir." " What's thegroup commander'sname?" " ColonelJack Grady, sir." " Does he have a wife?" " I'll see, sir." "Turkey One, this is Ultimate One." "Can you hear me?" "Turkey One, this is Ultimate One." "Can you hear me?" " Yes, sir, he does." " Findher." "IfI can't persuade him, maybe she can." " Yes, sir." " Turkey One, can you hear me?" "Turkey One, this is Ultimate One, Can you hear me?" "I have an important message." "Turkey One, can you hear me?" "Turkey One, canyouhearme?" "Turkey One, canyouhearme?" "This is Ultimate One." "They've stoppedjamming us." "This is Turkey One." "I am not authorized to receive messages." "Colonel Grady, this is the president ofthe United States." "The mission you are flying has been triggered by a mechanical failure." "Itisamistake." "Iorderyou andthe otherplanes... to return at once." "Doyou hear?" "At once!" "Colonel Grady, I repeat." "This is the president." "I can no longer receive tactical alterations byvoice." "I know that, but" "Whatyou're telling me, I've been specifically ordered not to do!" "Damn it, Grady, this is the president!" "He's still on, sir." "Mr. Chairman, I think it would be wise... foryou to removeyourself from Moscow... so thatyou'll be out ofdanger." "It will allow us to continue negotiations... even ifthe worst happens." "I have made those arrangements." "His voice is tougher." "Unfortunately, we cannot remove Moscow." "It remains here, open toyour bombs... and when it is destroyed... it's people dead because there's no time to evacuate them... where shall we negotiate, Mr. President?" "Shall I come to Geneva, hat in hand, begging for peace?" "I offered you help." "You refused it." "I offer it again." "We will helpyou shoot down the planes." "Set upyour conference line." "I'll come back on the phone when I'm a safe distance from Moscow." "Activate the Ultimate One/Red One Touch Phone, please." "Can we stop them, sir?" "Fire." "Fire." "Before he gets off one ofthose slow ones." "Colonel, knock that off, or I'll haveyou taken out ofthis room." "Two down." "Four to go." " Excuse me, sir." " Yes?" "Every minute we wait works against us." "Now, Mr. Secretary." "Now is when we must send in a first strike." "We don't go in for sneak attacks." "We had that done to us at Pearl Harbor." "And thejapanese were right to do it." "From their point ofview, we were their mortal enemy." "As long as we existed, we were a deadly threat to them." "Their only mistake was that they failed to finish us at the start... and they paid for that mistake at Hiroshima." "You're talking about a different kind ofwar." "Exactly." "This time, we can finish what we start." "And ifwe act right now... our casualties will be minimal." "Doyou know whatyou're saying?" "Doyou believe that Communism is not our mortal enemy?" "You'rejustifying murder." "Yes, to keep from being murdered." "In the name ofwhat?" "To preserve what?" "Even ifwe do survive, what are we, better than what we say they are?" "What gives us the right to live, then?" "What makes us worth surviving, Groteschele?" "That we are ruthless enough to strike first?" "Yes!" "Those who can survive are the only ones worth surviving." "Fighting foryour life isn't the same as murder." "Where doyou draw the line onceyou know what the enemy is?" "How long would the Nazis have kept it up... ifeveryJew they came after had met them with a gun in his hand?" "But I learned from them, General Black." "Oh, I learned." "You learned too well, Professor." "You learned so well that now there's no difference... between you and whatyou want to kill." "Yes, Mr. President." "Contact our ambassador to Moscow." "Also the Soviet delegate to the United Nations." "Hook them onto my line." "When the Soviet premier comes back on the phone... put us all on together." "Yes, Mr. President." "Is the Touch Phone open between Omaha... and the Soviet command headquarters?" " Yes, sir, allready." " Keep it open." "General Black." "Yes, Mr. President." "Rememberyour Old Testament?" "A little." "Remember the story ofthe sacrifice ofAbraham?" "Old what's-his-name used to use it in chapel... at least twice a year." "I remember, sir." "Keep it in mind the next few hours." "I need your help." "Getout toAndrews Field rightaway." "Orders will be waiting foryou there." "Yes, sir." "Blackie, are Katherine and the kids in New York?" "Yes, sir." "I may be asking a great deal ofyou." "I'll do whateveryou say." "Good luck, Blackie." "General Bogan." "Yes, Mr. President?" "I've activated the Touch Phone between you and the Soviet command." " Will you test it, please?" " Yes, sir." "This is General Bogan, Strategic Air Command, Omaha." "Iam the translator forMarshalNevsky." "MarshalNevsky sendshis greetings." "The same to him." "Ourreceptionis five-by-five." "Howdoyoureadus?" "We read you five-by-five." "One moment, please." "Mr. President... we're through to them." "Thankyou, General." "Put me on your public address system so everyone can hearwhat I say." "I want the Russians to be able to hear as well." "Yes, sir." "Ready, sir." "Gentlemen, this is the president ofthe United States." "Whatever orders I give to American personnel... are to be considered direct orders from the commander in chief." "They are to be obeyed fully... without reservation and at once." "Wemustdo everything we can... topreventourplanes from attacking Moscow." "TheSovietpremierhasbehaved as Ibelieve I would... undersimilarconditions." "Hehas delayedretaliation." "I think he believes this is an accident... but we must convince him and his chiefadvisors that it is." "I therefore order everyAmerican... to cooperate fully... withSovietofficers... inshooting down ourinvadingplanes." "Youare togive whateverinformation theyrequest." "Anyhesitation, any withholdingofinformation... can have the most tragic consequences." "I cannot emphasize this too strongly." "Are there any questions?" "Gentlemen, I expectyou to conductyourselves as patriots... and I wish you success." "Do themissiles on thesebombers... haveboth infrared andradarhoming capabilities?" "A numberofour fighterplanes havebeen destroyed... byamissile thatseems tohome noton theinfraredsource... buton theradartransmitter." "Isitpossible?" "Colonel Cascio will answeryour question." "Answer the question, Colonel." "That is a direct order." "An order, Colonel!" "Colonel!" "Just a moment, please." "Major Handel." "GeneralBogan" "Sergeant Collins, on the double!" "You're backup man on fire control, aren'tyou?" "Yes, sir." "Do ourVindicator missiles have both infrared- and radar-seeking capacity?" "Yes, sir." "Loud and clear!" "They've got to know we're on the level!" "It has both capacities, sir." "Can theradar-seekingmechanism be overloaded... byincreasing thestrength ofthesignal?" "Tell them!" "Yes, sir." "It can be overloaded... but by increasing the power output... and sliding through radar frequencies as fast as possible... what happens is the firing mechanism... reads the higher amperage as proximity to the target... and detonates the warhead." "Thankyou, GeneralBogan." "We willbeback toyou." "That's all, Sergeant." "What does it mean?" "We've told them how to blow up our air-to-air missiles... and with them, our planes." "They're picking us up." "Thomas, send out the code for the alternate flight plan." "We're going down to the floor." "They're trying to avoid the fighters by going too low for their radar." "I'm sorry, General, I" "I don't know what happened." "I just couldn't do it." "It was like a-- I don't know, a fit or something." "Colonel, I" "Forget it." "Who could have expected this situation?" "General, I" "I think this is all a trap." "Theywanted this to happen." "We know they've been trying to foul up our fail-safe signal." "I thinkwe should tell the president it's a trap." "They'rejust using the time to get their missiles ready... and fly their bombers into position." "We have no evidence ofthat." "They could be flying their bombers in the grass." "They could have fired missiles already... and put them up in the orbit ofknown satellites... where we couldn't detect them." "We computed that problem." "Satellites could be used to mask missiles." "We computed a lot ofproblems." "I'm not reporting anything I don't know for sure." "I thinkwe should recommend a full-strength attack." "That is not our decision!" "The Pentagon" "They don't know what we know." "They're not soldiers anymore." "They're politicians." "They don't care what happens to us." "They make a mistake, that's politics." "They send out men to be killed." "Forwhat?" "To make some lousy deal, to sell us out." "Save the world, save us." "Save our country before they destroy it... with their stinking politics." "Order a first strike, General." "Put an end to it once and for all." "You have the power." "You can do it!" "Colonel!" "You are talking treason." "Stop it now, or I'll haveyou put under arrest." "GeneralBogan, this is MarshalNevsky." "Yes, Marshal." "Canyougive us thelongitudeandlatitude... ofthe threeremainingplanes." "Yes, but we can't giveyou their altitude." "The signals we're getting are too distorted." "Willyoupleasegive us theposition ofthe threeplanes?" "We can fly fighters at variousaltitudes." "Can do." "Gentlemen, I am taking over command ofthis post... at the specific order ofthe president ofthe United States." "He has long been aware that General Bogan is mentally unbalanced... and has warned me to observe him closely." "The negotiations which General Bogan has been conducting with the enemy... are the acts ofa lunatic." "By the direct authority ofthe president..." "I now command you to take all orders from" "Colonel?" "We got orders, Colonel." "You make a fuss, we'll kill you." "You're a traitor." "You're worse than anybody." "You wear the uniform." "You have men underyour command." "You're in the field, butyou want them dead before they find you out!" "You want me dead!" "I saw it this morning when you found me with those people." "I'm better than you are!" "It's a mistake!" "You're betraying us all!" "You're making a mistake!" "I'm better than you are." "You're a traitor." "You're betraying us all!" "Marshal Nevsky?" "Yes, sir." "I am prepared to giveyou the longitude and latitude... ofour bombers in accordance with your request." "I wasaware ofyour difficulty, GeneralBogan." "Wehavehad suchproblems ourselves." "Iawaityourinformation." "Major Handel." "General, you better have a doctor" "They've got another one." "Sit down, anyway." "That was a bad knock." "Anyone could crack under the strain." "Ifyou ask me, he was on the edge" "He was a good soldier." "TheSovietpremier is comingback on theline, sir." "Theambassadorand theSovietdelegatearealreadyon." " Have they been told?" " Yes, sir, asyousaid." "Good." "Jay, where areyou?" "On the top floor ofthe embassy in Moscow, Mr. President." "Where areyou, Mr. Lentov?" "In the U.N. building in New York." "I suppose there is a reason... foryour ambassador and Comrade Lentov tojoin us." "There is, Mr. Chairman." "Then let's get on with it." "His voice is firmer, sir." "Final." "Like he's made up his mind." "In a few minutes, the bombs may be falling." "I have brought our forces to a condition offull readiness." "Unless we can satisfy one another, I must release those forces." "What doyou propose, Mr. President?" "Doyour people think there is still a chance ofbringing down the bombers?" "There is always a chance." "But I'm asking you, what ifthey cannot?" "What will you do?" "Haveyou made a decision?" "Yes." "It's my decision, and I take full responsibility." "Mr. Swenson... areyouon theline?" "Yes, Mr. President." " GeneralBogan?" " Yes, sir." "This is what will happen ifeven one ofthe bombers gets through." "It will drop two 20-megaton bombs on Moscow." "Jay?" " Yes, Mr. President?" "You might hear the sound ofthe engines... just before the bombs drop, maybe not." "In any case, you'll hear the defensive missiles going off." "Right after that, the bombs will explode." "I'm told that what we will hear at this end... will be a high, shrill sound." "That will be the ambassador's phone... melting from the heat ofthe fireball." "When we hear that sound... the ambassadorwill be dead." "Youunderstand, Mr. Ambassador... you're tostay exactly whereyouare." "Yes, Mr. President." "He's got to attack." "Is this your proposal?" "To sacrifice one American for five million Russians?" "No, no, listen to me!" "I've ordered a Vindicator bomber into the air from Washington." "In a few minutes, it will be flying over New York City." "It is carrying two 20-megaton bombs." "The moment I know that Moscow has been hit..." "I will order that plane to drop its bombs." "It will use the Empire State Building for ground zero." "When we hear the shriek of Mr. Lentov's phone melting... we will know that he is gone... and with him, New York." "Holy Mother ofGod." "No." "He can't do it." "What else can he do?" "I don't know any otherway, Mr. Chairman, unless-- unless you feel the offer itselfis enough." "Showing our intentions." "Would you think it enough?" "If Russian bombers were flying against New York... could you accept only my good intentions?" "No." "I believe this was an accident." "But I also believe your action... is the onlyway out." "I askyou to believe I wish it were not so." "Yes." "We can still hope I won't have to take that action." "How close to target?" "Fourteen minutes, sir." "How many planes left?" "Just us and number six." "Flynn." "Stillhere, Grady." "What's your condition?" "Slight wing damage from ordinary flak." "That'sall." "Speeddown to 1350." "Drageven." "How many decoys doyou have left?" "Howmany doyouneed?" "Well, I got the bombs." "You don't." "I wantyou to take some ofthose fighters offmy tail." " Will do." " Billy?" "Yeah?" "I depend on you." "GeneralBogan, canyou explain thismaneuver?" "One ofyourplanes hasjustappearedagain." "It's standard procedure, Marshal Nevsky." "That's our number six plane, the decoy plane." "It's trying to drawyour fighters away from our other plane... carrying the bombs." "Isee." "It carries only defensive equipment." "You don't have to worry about it." "Thankyou." "Weshall try forakillinany case." "You'll scatteryour forces." "You don't have time for that." "I tell you, it doesn't carry any bombs." "You don't have to worry about it!" "You're letting our other plane get through!" "I told you!" "Therehasbeena" "MarshalNevskyhas collapsed." "Itappears-- Well, Idon'tknow." "GeneralKoniev isnowin command." "Bogan, what's happened?" "Marshal Nevsky sent his fighters after a plane that carried no bombs." "That means our number one plane will almost certainly get through." "Themarshalrealizedthat." "It was toomuch forhim." "GeneralBogan, this is GeneralKoniev." "Doyouhave theremainingplane onyourscreen?" "No, sir, we do not." "We cannotseeiton ourradar, anditis flyingso fast... ourantiaircraftis useless." "Imustassume theplane willget through." " Yes." " Iintendto focus... allourremaining rockets on the estimatedpath oftheplane... andfire them alloffatonce." "Ourhopeis tosetup a thermonuclearbarrier... thatnothing canpenetrate." "That might work." "It's worth a chance." "You speak English verywell, General." "I was liaison toyourheadquarters in London during the war." "I was stationed right outside of London." "Yes, Iknow." "With the 8thAir Force." "Did you like London?" "Verymuch." "So did I." "Thegreatcitiesare those where one can walk." "I would walk all the timein London." "Whereveryou turn, there'shistory." "General, areyou in Moscow now?" "No." "I was orderedtoleave." "Is your" "It's a hard day." "Yes, ahardday." "Good-bye, my friend." "Good-bye, my friend." " Colonel Grady, sir." " What is it, Thomas?" "The infrared indicator... shows a large number ofground-to-air rockets ignited ahead ofus." "They should show on the scope soon." "What doyou know about those rockets?" "They're no different from ours, sir." "Designed to home in on heat-producing engines... like an airplane." "They can't be aiming at us." "We're too low." "They'd blow themselves up." "What are they doing with them?" " GeneralBogan?" " Yes." "They foundMrs." "Grady." "She'sstanding by." "Mr. President." " Wehave Grady's wife." " Can we get through to him?" "Ifhe follows procedure, he'll contact us when he within range ofthe target." "Those are his orders so that we know how to evaluate the strike." " He's been following orders so far." " Yes, sir." "Keepyour fingers crossed." " Thomas." " Yes, sir." "Would their rockets follow missiles too?" "I don't see why not." "A missile produces heat." "I think I know what they're gonna do." "Explode the rockets on top ofus, hope to knock us down with a blast." "They can do it too." "How many air-to-air missiles are left?" "Two." "The minuteyou see those rockets ignite on the scope... you fire our missiles and guide them for maximum elevation straight up." "Straight up." "Yeah." "Maybe their rockets will follow the missiles... explode too high to hurt us." "Yes, sir." "Colonel Grady, we're in range." "We have to report in." "Watch that scope." "Ultimate One, this is Turkey One." " Canyouhearme?" " Grady, this is General Bogan." "Keep receiving no matterwhatyou hear." "Doyou understand?" "Keep receiving." "Jack." "This is Helen." "It's Helen." "Doyou recognize myvoice?" "It'snota trick." "It's me." "Jack, youmust turnback." "Youmustn'tdrop thosebombs." " Doyou hear me?" " Is it reallyyourwife?" "They've started their rockets." "Fire one." "Doyouhear whatI'msaying?" "Fire two." "Keep them at least 2,500 feet above the rockets." " Yes, sir." "Jack" "There's no war!" "We're fine!" "You must turn back!" "They're at 1 8,000." " Go!" "Go!" " Nineteen." " 20,000 feet." " The rockets are following them!" "Boost them as much as you can." "The higher, the better." "I've never lied toyou, have I?" " 50,000." " I couldn't, no matterwhat." "You'vegot tobelieveme!" "80,000 feet." "Ninety." "A hundred." " They're slowing down." " 1 30,000. 1 40,000." " We'd better get some altitude." "Jack, please, answerme!" "1 70,000!" "Jack, doyou-- Answer me, please!" "Youcan't trustit, sir!" "Wegottagetoutofhere!" "No!" "Hang on!" "Their rockets are catching up!" "We're gonna catch some ofit." "Hold tight." "There they go." "Thinkwe'll make it now." "How many minutes to Moscow?" "Seven minutes, sir." "Look... we have our choice about what altitude to drop the bombs from." "It's about the only choice we do have now." "Blast gave us enough radiation." "At best we'd only last a couple ofdays." "So I'm taking her in low." "When we're over the target... climbing to 5,000 feet." "Bombs are set to go at 5,000." "We'll go with them." "Okay?" "What the hell." "There's nothing to go home to anyway." "General Stark, are there any papers or documents in New York... which are absolutely essential to the running ofthe United States?" "General Stark?" "No, sir." "There are important documents, but... none ofthem absolutely essential." "Will there be anywarning given?" "A lot oflives could be saved ifpeople had a few minutes." "On short notice, an alert to a big city would do more harm than good." "All you'd produce is panic." "What about this?" "Maybe" "Maybe he doesn't know his wife is there." "He knows." "Gentlemen, we are wasting time." "I've been making a few rough calculations... based on the effect oftwo 20-megaton bombs... dropped on New York City in the middle ofa normal workday." "I estimate the immediate dead at about three million." "I include in this figure those buried beneath the collapsed buildings." "Wouldn't make any difference, Admiral Wilcox... whether they reached a shelter or not." "Theywould diejust the same." "Add another million or two who'll die within about five weeks." "Are immediate problem would be thejoint one offire control and excavation." "Excavation not ofthe dead." "The effort would be wasted there." "Even though there are no irreplaceable government documents in the city... many ofour largest corporations keep their records there." "It will be necessary to... rescue as many ofthose records as we can." "Our economy depends on this." "Our economy depends on this." ""And the Lord said," gentlemen..." ""'he who is without sin... let him cast the first stone."'" "Sir?" "May I have a drink, please?" "How'd you ever get to be a translator, Buck?" "You don't seem the academic type." "I guess I've got this talent for languages, sir." "I hear a language once, I pick it right up." "I don't even know how." "They found out about it in the army." "You sound sorry they did." "Oh, no." "Very interestingjob." "I mean, sometimes." "Well, you did a goodjob today, Buck." "Thankyou, sir." "All I did was repeat what he said." "You didn't freeze up." "Another man might have." "You're the one who didn't, sir." "I wonderwhat it's like out." "Looked like rain before." "Radio said it would clear by the afternoon." "Thepremier, sir." "Yes, Mr. Chairman." "Mr. President..." "I have ordered our long-range missiles... to stand down from their alert." "Only that part ofour defense... that has a chance ofshooting down your bomber... is still active." "We do not think we have much ofa chance." "I know." "And yet, this was nobody's fault." "I don't agree." "No human being did wrong." "No one is to be blamed." "We're to blame, both ofus." "We let our machines get out ofhand." "Still, it was an accident." "Two great cities may be destroyed, millions ofinnocent people killed." "What do we say to them, Mr. Chairman?" ""Accidents will happen"?" "I won't accept that." "All I know... is that as long as we have weapons" "All I know is that men are responsible." "We're responsible forwhat happens to us." "Todaywe had a taste ofthe future." "Do we learn from it, or do we go on the waywe have?" "What do we do, Mr. Chairman?" "What do we say to the dead?" "I think, ifwe are men... we must say... this will not happen again." "But doyou think it possible... with all that stands between us?" "We put it there, Mr. Chairman, and we're not helpless." "What we put between us, we can remove." " Mr. President?" " Yes,Jay." "Icanhearthesoundofexplosions from thenortheast." "Theskyis verybright, alllitup" "Put me through to General Black." "Yes, Mr. President." "Yes, Mr. President?" "Moscow's been destroyed." "Dropyour bombs according to plan." "Yes, sir." "You've all been briefed on the mission, so there's nothing more to say." "I have only one last order." "Nobody else is to have anything to do with the dropping ofthe bombs." "Repeat:" "I will fly the plane and release the bombs." "The final act is my own." "On course, sir." "Approaching target." "Count down from ten." "Give me the signal." "Ten, nine... eight, seven... six, five... four, three... two, one." "Mark." "General Black!" "Katie-- The dream" "The dream!" "The matador." "The matador!" "The matador." "Me!" "Me."