Warren?
You'll wake yourself up.
I'll get you breakfast.
No time. T+he meeting starts at 10:00.
Don't worry about it. T+hey always +have coffee t+here.
You're flying down?
I'll c+heck out one of t+he trainers. T+hen I can get back w+hen I want.
W+hat are you doing today?
S+hopping.
Have to get clot+hes for t+he boys.
T+hey grow so fast.
Need any money? I cas+hed a c+heck.
I +had t+he dream again.
Always ends at t+he same place.
I guess t+hat's just as well.
Sometime I'm going to see t+hat matador, find out w+ho +he is.
W+hen I do, t+hat's t+he end of me.
Don't talk like t+hat. It's only a dream.
Maybe I oug+ht to resign.
W+hat good would t+hat do?
I'm sure it would make t+he dream go away. T+hey're connected.
Katie, t+he dream and w+hat I'm doing...
Sometimes I feel t+he only way I can make it disappear is to resign.
But you can't resign. You can't give up your w+hole life.
You're my life too.
You and t+he boys.
Maybe I +have to c+hoose.
Or maybe it's too late.
Warren, don't go. Skip t+he meeting.
Tell t+hem my wife insists I go s+hopping?
I'll skip t+he s+hopping.
We could +have lunc+h toget+her. We +haven't done t+hat in mont+hs.
A little Frenc+h restaurant wit+h wine.
T+his meeting is special. T+he secretary will be t+here.
T+hey're even +holding it in t+he war room to s+how +how up-to-date we are.
You could do wit+h a day off.
In t+he middle of t+he week? T+hat's immoral.
We can go out for dinner. I'll be back by t+hen.
If I can get a sitter.
You got me. You can get anyt+hing.
W+hat would I do wit+hout you?
You wouldn't do very well.
T+here's no c+hance of t+hat, is t+here?
None at all.
First you said 100 million dead.
Now you say 60 million.
I say 60 million is per+haps t+he +hig+hest price...
we s+hould be prepared to pay in a war.
W+hat's t+he difference between 60 million dead and a +hundred million?
- Forty million. - Some difference.
Are you saying saving 40 million lives is of no importance?
You miss t+he point, Professor.
Saving t+hose 60 million lives is w+hat's important.
Face facts, Mr. Foster. We're talking about war.
Every war, including t+hermonuclear war, must +have a winner and a loser.
W+hic+h would you rat+her be?
In a nuclear war, everyone loses. War isn't w+hat it used to be.
It's still t+he resolution of economic and political conflict.
W+hat kind of resolution wit+h 100 million dead?
- It doesn't +have to be 100 million. - Even 60!
T+he same as a t+housand years ago, sir...
w+hen you also +had wars t+hat wiped out w+hole peoples.
T+he point is still w+ho wins and w+ho loses, t+he survival of a culture.
A culture?
Wit+h most of its people dead...
t+he rest dying, t+he food poisoned...
t+he air unfit to breat+he.
- You call t+hat a culture? - Yes, I do.
I am not a poet. I'm a political scientist...
w+ho would rat+her +have an American culture survive t+han a Russian one.
But w+hat would it really be like? W+ho would survive?
It's an interesting question.
I would predict...
convicts and file clerks.
T+he worst convicts, t+hose deep down in solitary confinement...
and t+he most ordinary file clerks...
probably for large insurance companies...
because t+hey would be in fireproofed rooms...
protected by tons of t+he best insulator in t+he world: Paper.
T+hen imagine w+hat will +happen.
T+he small group of vicious criminals will fig+ht t+he army of file clerks...
for t+he remaining means of life.
T+he convicts will know violence...
but t+he file clerks will know organization.
W+ho do you t+hink will win?
It's all +hypot+hesis, of course, but fun to play around wit+h.
Time to go +home. I didn't mean to +hold fort+h so long.
I don't usually come to a supper party and talk t+hroug+h to breakfast.
Nonsense. We were fascinated. I +hope we didn't keep you from your work.
Not at all. I've got a 10:00 meeting at t+he Pentagon.
Plenty of time to get +home and c+hange.
You must come again, Professor Groetesc+hele, wit+h your wife.
I'd be delig+hted.
I'm Ilsa Wolfe. We were introduced before dinner.
I'd like you to take me +home.
You'll +have to give me directions.
Just stay on t+his road.
You could joke about t+he convicts and file clerks...
because you know t+here won't be any survivors.
Not many.
None at all.
T+hat's t+he beauty of it.
I've +heard nuclear war called a lot of t+hings, but never beautiful.
People are afraid to call it t+hat, but t+hat's w+hat t+hey feel.
T+he beauty of deat+h?
Don't patronize me.
W+hat else but t+hat are you selling, Professor?
We all know we're going to die...
but you make a marvelous game out of it t+hat includes t+he w+hole world.
- You make it seem possible. - It is possible, even probable.
You make deat+h an entertainment...
somet+hing t+hat can be played in a living room.
As good a place as any.
T+here's an even better place.
Turn in t+here.
T+his w+here you live?
Don't joke.
W+hy not? I am t+he joker.
I make deat+h into a game for people like you to get excited about.
I watc+hed you tonig+ht.
You'd love making it possible.
You'd love pressing t+hat button.
W+hat a t+hrill t+hat would be.
Knowing you +have to die...
to +have t+he power to take everyone else wit+h you...
t+he mob of t+hem wit+h t+heir plans, t+heir little +hopes...
born to be murdered and turning away from it...
closing t+heir eyes to it.
You could be t+he one to make it true, do it to t+hem.
But you're afraid...
so you look for t+he t+hrill someplace else.
And w+ho better t+han a man w+ho isn't afraid?
I'm not your kind.
- Airman? - Sir?
General Bogan s+hould be on +his way in. Tell +him I c+hecked out t+he new computer.
I'll be back on duty before +he leaves to c+heck it out again wit+h +him.
- Yes, sir. - I'll be in my quarters if +he wants me.
- Yes, sir. Sir? - Yes?
A telep+hone message for you.
T+hey want you to call back, said it was urgent.
Line, please.
Hello.
Yes, I got t+he message. W+hy do you t+hink I'm calling?
W+here did +he get t+he money?
No, I'll come myself.
I'm going into town, Airman. T+hat's t+he address.
I'll be t+here about a +half an +hour, t+hen I'm coming back to t+he base.
Yes, sir.
Better button up before t+he general gets +here.
Yes, sir.
General Bogan's office. Airman Slote.
No, sir, General. He just left.
Damn it, I need +him. W+here did +he sign out to?
Conklin, you know w+here t+hat is?
Yes, sir. It's on t+he way to t+he base.
Get over t+here. I'll pick +him up myself, Airman. T+hank you.
- T+his is t+he +house, General. - You sure t+his is it?
T+here's not anot+her street by t+his name?
I've in Oma+ha all my life. I know t+his city like t+he back of my +hand.
Don't bot+her getting out.
- Spending t+he money I send you on t+his! - Give me t+hat!
You raise your +hand against my mot+her once more...
Just a drop! W+ho t+he +hell are you?
- Yea+h? - I'm General Bogan.
I'm looking for Colonel Cascio. He gave t+his address.
- Sure, General. - Let t+he gentleman in, Luke.
Honored to +have you. My son always speaks well of you.
Sorry to bot+her you, Colonel.
We +have some unexpected VI Ps we +have to s+how around.
Yes, sir. I'll be rig+ht along.
W+hy don't you come in, General?
T+hank you, l...
I just take a drop now and t+hen.
T+he boy +here gets a little excited.
I'm ready, sir.
Damn snot-nosed kid.
It's t+hat Congressman Raskob, w+ho's been nosing around t+he bases.
Was+hington wants us to put +his mind at ease.
- He's on one of t+hose committees. - Yes, sir.
Gordon Knapp will also be t+here to look at t+hat 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 w+hen I'd say, "goes up like a balloon."
- Times c+hange. - Yes, sir.
Ploesti was a rough one.
We lost +half our group.
Regensburg was t+he worst one for us.
I never flew t+he B-17, only B-24s.
T+he 24 was a good airplane.
You knew you were flying it, not t+he ot+her way around, like today's t+hings.
You still +have to fly t+he Vindicator, Grady.
We're t+he last of t+he lot, Flynn. Don't kid yourself about t+hat.
- T+he next airplanes won't need men. - You'll be too old, anyway.
After us, t+he mac+hines. We're +halfway t+here already.
Look at t+hose kids.
Remember t+he crews you +had on t+he 24s?
Jews, Italians, all kinds.
You could tell t+hem apart. T+hey were people.
T+hese kids... You open t+hem up, you'll find t+hey run on transistors.
- T+hey're good kids. - Sure.
You know t+hey're good at t+heir jobs, but you don't know t+hem. How can you?
We get a different crew every time we go up.
T+hat's policy, Grady.
It eliminates t+he personal factor.
Everyt+hing is more complicated now.
Reaction time is faster.
You can't depend on people t+he same way.
W+ho do you depend on?
All rig+ht, gentlemen. T+he sky awaits.
You know somet+hing, Billy?
I like t+he personal factor.
T+hose are Vindicator bombers of t+he Strategic Air Command...
on routine patrol.
Eac+h one of t+hose planes carries four Blood+hound air-to-air missiles...
armed wit+h nuclear war+heads.
T+hose are for use against attacking enemy planes.
In addition, eac+h plane carries two 20-megaton +hydrogen bombs...
designed to detonate over enemy targets.
At any given moment, nig+ht or day, t+hose airplanes are in t+he air...
in case of any surprise attack on our bases.
You can see some of t+he ot+her groups...
- W+ho controls t+hem? - We do.
T+his room is t+he nerve center, Mr. Raskob.
T+hese mac+hines are constantly receiving information from all over t+he world.
And above it.
Mr. Knapp's company did t+he electronic work on t+he Argos satellite.
Would you like to see w+hat it's p+hotograp+hing rig+ht now? Colonel.
T+his picture you're about to see is being taken now...
by a camera 300 miles in t+he sky traveling 20,000 miles an +hour.
Can you give us tig+hter scale on t+his?
Colonel?
T+hose are t+he rocket sites from 300 miles up.
- I'm impressed. - We'll get it s+harper soon.
Be able to see t+he people, not just t+he mac+hines.
We'll s+how you t+he +hair on t+heir +head.
- I suppose t+hey're doing t+he same to us. - You can see for yourself.
Let's take a look at t+he Russian submarines in t+he Pacific.
T+here's t+he western coast of t+he United States, Hawaiian Islands...
and t+hose are Russian subs.
- T+hat close? - Nearest is 50 miles off San Francisco.
International waters. Not+hing we can do except keep an eye on it.
T+hat's too damn close. W+hat's it doing t+here?
Scanning us, t+he way we do t+hem.
Is it armed?
We +have instruments so good, t+hey can tell t+he difference...
between a w+hale breaking wind and t+hat sub blowing its tanks.
No argument, General. I'm sure we've got t+he best money can buy.
- We're proud of w+hat we do +here. - You oug+ht to be, Colonel.
- T+he 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 wit+h appropriations...
only wit+h +how t+he appropriations are spent.
You see it all around you. Pretty impressive, isn't it?
Trut+hfully, t+hese mac+hines scare t+he +hell out of me.
I don't like t+he idea t+hat every time I take off my +hat...
some t+hing up t+here knows I'm losing my +hair.
I want to be sure t+hat t+hing doesn't get any ideas of its own.
I see w+hat you mean, but t+hat's a c+hance you take wit+h t+hese systems.
W+ho says we +have to take t+hat c+hance?
W+ho voted w+ho t+he power to do it t+his particular way?
I'm t+he only one around +here t+hat got elected by anybody.
Nobody gave me t+hat power.
It's in t+he nature of tec+hnology.
Mac+hines are developed to meet situations.
T+hen t+hey take over, t+hey start creating situations.
- Not necessarily. - T+here's always t+he c+hance.
We +have c+hecks and counterc+hecks on everyt+hing.
W+ho c+hecks t+he c+hecker?
W+here's t+he end of t+he line? W+ho's got t+he responsibility?
- T+he president. - No one.
He can't know everyt+hing t+hat's going on. It's too complicated.
If you want to know, t+hat's w+hat really bot+hers me.
T+he only t+hing everyone can agree on is t+hat no one's responsible.
Is somet+hing wrong, General?
UFO sig+hted near Hudson's Bay, sir.
W+hat you're seeing, gentlemen, is an unidentified flying object...
picked up by our radar.
Until we get positive identification, we regard it as +hostile.
W+hat do you do about it?
We've gone to Condition Blue, w+hic+h is our lowest form of readiness.
At t+he same time, we've informed t+hose Vindicator bombers...
t+hat you saw in t+he air before.
T+hey will now start to fly toward t+heir fail-safe points.
"Fail-safe"?
Fixed points in t+he sky on t+he perimeter of t+he Soviet Union...
w+hic+h are c+hanged from day to day.
T+he planes will fly to t+hose points and orbit...
until t+hey get a positive order to go in.
And if t+hey don't get t+hat order?
T+hey return to t+heir normal patrols.
In s+hort, we can't go to war except on an express order.
How do t+hey get t+hat order, by radio?
Yes, and t+hroug+h a box we call t+he fail-safe box aboard eac+h plane...
w+hic+h can only be activated at t+he express order of t+he president.
- He +has to tell t+hem? - Not directly.
His voice can be imitated.
He just gives t+he order and t+he rest is done electronically.
No one can interfere wit+h t+he fail-safe box, Mr. Raskob.
All t+hose new blips you see are fig+hter planes...
going after t+he unidentified object.
Colonel Cascio, tig+ht scale, please.
You seem pretty cool about t+his, General. Does it +happen often?
About six times a mont+h.
Probably an airliner off course.
- And if it isn't? - T+hen it's somet+hing else.
T+hat means it's at 30,000 feet, going 525 miles an +hour...
on a compass +heading of 196.
Headed rig+ht for Detroit.
Seven minutes to fail-safe.
Normal procedure, Mr. Raskob.
We start an automatic countdown at t+his point.
It's very unlikely t+he bombers will even reac+h t+heir fail-safe points.
It +happens one time in twenty.
We usually identify t+he disturbance well before t+hat.
Six minutes to fail-safe.
W+hat +have you got t+here, Blackie? Anot+her UFO?
For a dollar, a commercial plane or a flock of birds?
Plane. Off course.
You oug+ht to give me odds.
I read your memo on counterforce credibility.
I don't t+hink Groetesc+hele will discuss t+hat today.
You t+hink I s+hould lay off?
W+hy open a can of peas?
We've got to discuss it one of t+hese days, Stark.
T+his w+hole policy of overkill...
It makes no sense piling up bombs w+hen we already +have a capacity...
Just not today.
Good morning, Mr. Secretary.
- Won't you sit over t+here? - T+hank you.
- Good morning, Mr. Secretary. - Good morning, gentlemen.
- Everyone +here, General Stark? - Yes, sir.
All rig+ht, Professor Groetesc+hele.
I see we +have an alert to supplement our discussion.
Unfortunately, we settled t+he question of accidental war last week...
so we can't make use of it today.
Today t+he subject is limited war.
It is not t+heoretical.
On it depends t+he kind of weapons we use...
w+here we locate t+hem, +how we use t+hem.
In s+hort, our entire military posture.
Is limited war possible?
Can we confine t+he exc+hange of nuclear weapons...
to military targets alone...
or must war lead inevitably to t+he destruction of cities?
- It must. - W+hy?
T+he object of war is to inflict maximum damage on t+he enemy...
destroy +his ability to resist.
In t+he last war, bot+h sides could +have used bacterial warfare.
- T+hey didn't. - It wouldn't +have been decisive.
Can you be sure?
Maybe people still couldn't get used to t+he idea of killing civilians.
Take t+hat up wit+h t+he civilians of London, Hamburg, Dresden or Tokyo...
killed by t+he t+housands in bombing raids.
I omit Hiros+hima and Nagasaki...
since t+hose actions belong more properly to World War III...
t+han World War II.
I still don't see +how we could restrict a war.
We could come to a mutual agreement wit+h t+he Russians...
to strike only at missile bases.
W+hat if t+he missile bases were near t+he cities?
T+hey would +have an incentive to move t+hem elsew+here.
T+hey mig+ht take suc+h an offer as a sign of weakness on our part.
- It could be wort+h a try. - T+hey +have as muc+h to lose as we +have.
We're talking about t+he wrong subject.
We've got to stop war, not limit it.
T+hat is not up to us, General Black.
We're t+he ones w+ho know most about it.
You're a soldier, Blackie. You carry out policy.
- You don't make it. - Don't kid yourself, Stark.
T+he way we say a war can be foug+ht is making policy.
If we say we can fig+ht a limited war wit+h nuclear weapons...
we let everyone off t+he +hook.
It's w+hat t+hey want to +hear.
We can just keep doing w+hat we're doing, and nobody really gets +hurt.
But you can't fig+ht a limited war, and you know it.
I'm not so sure.
T+here's no suc+h t+hing as a limited war anymore.
Not wit+h +hydrogen bombs.
Once t+hose bombs start to drop, you won't be able to limit a t+hing.
Are you advocating disarmament?
I don't know.
It's t+he logic of your position.
Peculiar reversal. T+he press would be interested.
T+he military man w+ho is t+he dove, and t+he civilian w+ho is t+he +hawk.
We're going too fast.
T+hings are getting out of +hand.
Can you be more specific, General?
We're all trying to make war more efficient.
- T+hat's our job. - And we're succeeding.
We now +have t+he capacity to blow up t+he w+hole world several times over.
W+hic+h does not mean we must do it.
We won't be able to stop from doing it. T+hat's t+he logic of your position.
We're setting up a war mac+hine t+hat acts faster...
t+han t+he ability of men to control it.
We're putting men into situations t+hat are too toug+h for men to +handle.
T+hen we must toug+hen t+he men.
Suppose t+hey launc+h a first strike against us?
T+hen we retaliate, and we're all finis+hed.
Would you prefer t+hat only we were finis+hed?
We +have to prepare.
We're preparing. We've got to slow down.
I disagree. We +have got to speed up.
Naturally, t+hat means taking risks...
but our intention is always to minimize t+hose risks.
Of course, we can only control our own actions.
Our concept of limited war is based on an equal rationality by t+he Russians.
It also presupposes t+here will be no accidents on eit+her side.
But suppose t+hat unidentified flying object...
was one of t+heir 50-megaton missiles t+hat +had gotten loose by mistake.
W+hat could be done? How could t+hey prove it was really an accident?
Would it make any difference if t+hey could?
Even if we believe t+hem, s+hould we still t+hink of limiting our response...
or s+hould we +hit t+hem back wit+h everyt+hing we +have?
It's gone, General. W+hat +happened to it?
Colonel Cascio, let's go to Condition Yellow.
It's dropped below t+he level in w+hic+h our radar can pick it up.
You went to t+he next state of readiness.
T+hat's standard operating procedure.
It could be a commercial plane about to cras+h.
Or an enemy plane taking evasive action.
Naturally, we prepare for t+he worst.
Two minutes to fail-safe.
W+hat are t+hose planes following t+he bomber, General?
Fig+hter support. Part of Condition Yellow.
From now on, t+hey'll follow t+he bombers as far as t+hey go.
- W+hat comes after Condition Yellow? - Green.
- And t+hen? - Red.
But we've never gone to red yet.
Red means war, doesn't it?
- Not an air breat+her? - W+hat does t+hat mean?
Jet planes suck air t+hroug+h t+heir engines.
Our warning system can pick up t+he turbulence t+his creates.
If a commercial plane lost power, no turbulence would be created.
It could be a rocket.
Off course?
Maybe on.
One minute to fail-safe.
It could be a Russian rocket coming in low w+here our radar can't pick it up.
- Could it be t+hat? - It could be anyt+hing.
- How do you find out? - Our fig+hters are tracking it.
Can't wait too long.
13, 12, 11, 10, 9...
8, 7, 6, 5, 4...
3, 2, 1.
All groups at fail-safe point.
Rig+ht on t+he dot. T+hat's flying.
- Yes, sir? - Go to Condition Green.
Tell t+he planes to keep orbiting until we positively identify t+he UFO.
- T+hat's t+heir orders. - Tell t+hem again.
- You'll +have to leave now. - Sorry.
- T+hat is an order. - You've got t+he wrong customer.
T+he way I see, we could be at war in just about two minutes.
You can't get me back to my family, so I'm staying +here to see w+hat +happens.
T+here's no place for you +here.
If t+hose bombs go off, t+here's no place for me anyw+here.
You want me out of +here, you better call t+he military police.
- I t+hink it's coming up again. - We can't wait any longer, sir.
Give me a tig+ht scale.
T+hat's it, gentlemen.
Sorry we alarmed you.
Contact all t+he planes and +have t+hem resume t+heir normal patrols.
Yes, sir.
Colonel Grady?
W+hat is it, T+homas?
W+hat's t+he longest you ever stayed at t+hese fail-safe points?
T+he longest I ever stayed was t+hree minutes...
but it seemed like t+hree years.
- T+his your first time? - Yes, sir.
- Nervous? - No, sir.
It's only natural.
I was just calculating fuel, sir.
How is t+he group +holding formation, Sullivan?
T+hey're rig+ht in orbit, sir.
Even number six is tucked in.
Old Flynn.
Half man, +half bird.
T+hank you very muc+h, General. I must say, it was quite...
- W+hat's t+hat, Colonel? - C+hecking, sir.
It's okay +here.
Send in a K-13.
Somet+hing blew in t+he fault indicator. We're replacing t+he w+hole unit.
T+he fault indicator is our master control.
It tells us if somet+hing goes wrong in any of t+hese ot+her components.
- Did somet+hing go wrong? - No sign of it.
We'll know as soon as t+hey replace t+he unit.
Sir, t+he fail-safe box.
T+here must be some mistake.
C+heck Oma+ha.
Can't get t+hroug+h, Colonel. Interference.
W+hat kind of interference?
I don't know, sir. It's a kind I never +heard before.
Try anot+her band. Try all of t+hem.
Can't get t+hroug+h.
T+hey must be trying to keep us from getting our go signal.
T+hey're too late for t+hat.
Request permission to aut+henticate on secondary c+hannel.
Permission granted.
Order confirmed. Request permission to verify, sir.
Permission granted.
Code sequence correct for today, sir. Signal is go.
We will now bot+h open our operational orders.
Ready for approac+h and penetration orders, sir.
You say t+hese alerts +happen +half a dozen times a mont+h?
About t+hat. Not usually so dramatic.
We rarely get to t+he fail-safe point.
I'd be a nervous wreck.
So would I if I +had to make a speec+h in Congress.
T+hat blip up t+here at ten o'clock. It's +headed into Russia.
T+hat is w+hy some people advocate a return to manned bombers...
for a first-rate retaliation, rat+her t+han missiles.
T+hey are slower and give more time for evaluation and analysis.
T+he rockets +have t+he defects of t+heir virtues.
T+hey are too quick. T+hey allow too little time for t+houg+ht.
I find t+his point of view old-fas+hioned.
By t+he very nature of modern warfare, t+he...
Put t+hat on polar projection.
- Yes, sir? - Get me t+he president.
I'm Buck, t+he translator. T+hey sent for me.
May I see your identification?
It says you +have a small scar on your left wrist. May I see it?
Yea+h. Dog bit me w+hen 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 not+hing leaks to t+he newspapers yet.
Call t+he vice president and tell +him w+hat's up. He'll know w+hat to do.
On second t+houg+ht, we better tell t+he press somet+hing.
HaveJoe tell t+hem it's urgent, but not a bone-breaker so far.
And off t+he record, no leaks.
Any leaks on t+his, t+he guy and +his paper are dead now and forever.
I'll tellJoe in just t+hose words.
W+ho's at t+he Pentagon briefing today? I want t+hem in on t+his.
Secretary of Defense. C+hiefs of Staff.
T+hat Professor Groetesc+hele t+hey like so muc+h is giving t+he lecture.
- Is Blackie t+here? - T+here's a General Black.
T+hat's Blackie. I'm glad +he's t+here. We went to college toget+her.
He's got a brain and says w+hat +he t+hinks.
T+hat's all for now. Get to work.
Have t+hem turn up t+he air-conditioning. It's +hot as +hell down +here.
We're far enoug+h down. Maybe it is +hell.
- You know w+hat's +happened? - No, sir.
One of our Vindicator groups got a wrong signal.
T+hey took off to bomb Moscow. We've got to stop it.
Easier said t+han done.
But we've got a little time; not muc+h, but a little, so relax.
Easier said t+han done, sir.
If t+hings get really +hot...
I mig+ht +have to use t+he direct p+hone to t+he Kremlin.
T+hat's w+here you'll come in. Let's +hope we don't get t+hat far.
I +hope not, sir.
- General Bogan from Omaha, sir. - Put +him on.
Group Six is now about 200 miles past fail-safe, Mr. President.
We still can't make contact.
- Do you know what went wrong? - No, sir, we do not.
Why can't you raise them by radio?
We don't know for sure, sir.
We've tried all frequencies. We just can't make contact.
- W+hy? - I don't know.
We +had a flas+h on t+he board just before it +happened...
and t+he fault indicator blew out at t+he same time.
T+he Russians may be jamming t+heir reception wit+h some new device...
we know nothing about.
W+hy would t+hey do t+hat? Is it customary?
No, sir, but it's possible.
In ot+her words, it's possible t+he fail-safe mec+hanism...
mig+ht be giving t+hem a go signal...
at t+he same time t+hey can't reac+h you for positive confirmation.
It's possible. It's not probable, but...
- Is it possible? - Yes, sir.
All rig+ht. If we regain radio contact...
will t+he bombers respond to an order to return?
If we can reac+h t+hem wit+hin t+he next five minutes.
After t+hat, t+heir orders are to disregard any verbal command.
Even if I talk to t+hem?
Your voice can be imitated by t+he enemy, sir.
Our men +have been drilled in t+hat.
Once t+hey're beyond a certain point...
t+hey're not to trust any verbal transmission.
W+hat's our next step t+hen, General, if we follow standard procedure?
We already +have fig+hter planes in t+he air.
T+he next step would be to order t+he fig+hters after t+he bombers...
to raise t+hem visually and divert t+hem from t+heir course.
W+hat if t+he bombers don't respond?
T+he fig+hters would be ordered to s+hoot t+hem down.
W+ho gives t+hat order?
You do, sir.
T+hank you, General. I'll be back to you.
Get me Mr. Swenson in t+he Pentagon.
Swenson +here.
Mr. Secretary, I +have a decision to make.
It's my decision, and I'll make it...
but I want t+he advice of you and your people, and I need it fast.
T+he president says +he may +have to order our fig+hters...
to s+hoot down Group Six.
He wants our opinion.
I oppose it, sir, on t+he grounds t+hat it's premature.
Our planes +have not yet reac+hed Soviet territory.
T+hey're still +hundreds of miles away.
We got to do it rig+ht now before it's too late.
It mig+ht be too late anyway.
T+hose fig+hters swung away from t+he bombers w+hen t+hey got t+he all clear.
T+hey've been flying in t+he opposite direction.
- T+hey're faster t+han t+he Vindicators. - Not t+hat muc+h faster.
- I'm not sure t+hey can catc+h up in time. - T+hey can go to afterburners.
- T+hat will increase t+heir speed. - And use up t+heir fuel.
T+hey'll never be able to get back. T+hey'll go down in t+he ocean.
- We've got to try it. - Suppose t+hey do catc+h up?
W+hy do t+hey +have to attack? Can't t+hey signal?
Our men +have been trained to expect anyt+hing from t+he enemy...
even sending up +his own fig+hter planes disguised as ours.
T+hey're good men. We've seen to t+hat.
If t+heir orders are attack, t+he only way to stop t+hem is to s+hoot t+hem down.
We +have no alternative.
T+his minute t+he Russians are watc+hing t+heir boards...
trying to figure out w+hat we're up to.
If we can't convince t+hem it's an accident t+hat we're trying to correct...
we're going to +have a situation t+hat nobody bargained for...
and only a lunatic wants.
Mr. President...
it is our opinion t+hat t+he fig+hters s+hould be ordered in.
T+hank you.
General Bogan, please.
Yes, Mr. President?
T+he fig+hters are to overtake t+he Vindicators...
and, if necessary, s+hoot t+hem down.
Sir, it will be necessary.
I know t+hat, General. Order t+hem in.
Colonel, order t+he fig+hters to attack Group Six.
T+hey don't +have a prayer of catc+hing t+hem, sir.
T+hat is an order.
But t+hat's t+he Arctic Ocean t+hey'll go down in, General.
T+hey'll freeze to deat+h before t+hey get t+heir c+hutes off.
Colonel, get on t+he +horn and give t+hat order.
Every second you wait takes t+hem fart+her away.
We're killing t+hem. T+hey +haven't got a c+hance.
This is Fighter Direction.
We are in voice communication with Tangle-Abel-One.
You can talk to them on Channel 7, single side band.
Do I tell t+hem in code or in t+he clear?
In t+he clear.
Tangle-Abel-One, t+his is Colonel Cascio at Ultimate One.
This is Tangle-Abel-One. I read you five-by-five.
Group Six +has flown t+hroug+h t+he 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 to afterburners and overtake and attack Group Six.
Did you all hear that order?
Overtake the Vindicators? Who are they kidding?
All we got is a 50-mile-an-hour edge. They're halfway to Moscow already.
You heard the man. We go to afterburners.
And use spit to run this airplane?
By the time we run out of gas, they'll only be 1,000 miles away.
- Man, that's organization. - Cut the chatter.
We're wasting time. On the mark, go to afterburners.
Five, four, three, two, one, mark.
S+hall I alert Air-Sea Rescue, sir?
No point. Bring up t+he fig+hters on t+he board in tig+ht scale.
Yes, sir.
Beautiful.
Fighters on their way, sir.
T+hank you.
Buck, let's +hope t+his all blows over in t+he next few minutes.
But if it doesn't, we'll get to know eac+h ot+her very well.
Listen to every conversation I +have, try to get to know +how I t+hink.
- It mig+ht come in +handy. - Yes, sir.
- How did General Bogan sound to you? - 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 of all t+his new equipment.
If +he's worried, I'm worried.
Do you know Mr. Swenson, t+he secretary of defense?
I've read about +him, sir.
You won't be able to tell muc+h from +his voice. He's +hard as a rock.
But we listen to +him, Buck. If +he gives advice, we take it.
Yes, sir.
Put t+he war conference room at t+he Pentagon...
and General Bogan in Oma+ha on a conference line wit+h me.
Yes, sir.
Ready, sir.
- Mr. Swenson? - Yes, Mr. President.
If our fig+hters +have to s+hoot down t+he Vindicators, t+he worst is over.
For us, anyway.
I want your people now to consider w+hat we do if we can't s+hoot t+hem down.
I'm putting you on t+he intercom so you can be +heard +here and in Oma+ha.
General Bogan +has Mr. Knapp of Amalgamated Electronics...
and Congressman Raskob with him.
T+hey +have my permission to listen in and say anyt+hing t+hey want.
Right, sir.
Gentlemen, we've got four questions to answer and not a lot of time.
First: W+hat +happened? Second: W+hat do we do about it?
T+hird: W+hat are t+he Russians going to t+hink about all t+his?
And fourt+h: W+hat are t+hey going to do about it?
Please keep t+he discussion to t+hose points.
Mec+hanical failure.
- T+hat's w+hat +happened. - A double mec+hanical failure?
- Do you know t+he odds against t+hat? - Maybe someone went berserk.
It doesn't matter. Somet+hing failed: A man, a mac+hine.
It was bound to +happen, and it did.
Maybe we'll never know w+hy or w+hat. It doesn't matter now.
- Mr. Secretary. - Yes, General Bogan.
Mr. Knapp +here knows as muc+h about electronic gear as anyone.
He'd like to say something.
T+he more complex an electronic system gets...
t+he more accident-prone it is.
- Sooner or later, it breaks down. - W+hat breaks down?
A transistor blows. A condenser burns out.
Sometimes they just get tired, like people.
Mr. Knapp overlooks one factor.
T+he mac+hines are supervised by +humans.
Even if t+he mac+hine fails, t+he +human can always correct t+he mistake.
I wis+h you were rig+ht.
T+he fact is, t+he mac+hines work so fast...
t+hey are so intricate...
t+he mistakes t+hey make are so subtle...
that very often, a human being just can't know...
whether a machine is lying or telling the truth.
Maybe t+his time t+here wasn't any failure.
Maybe t+he Russians +have masked t+he real position of Group Six.
Maybe Group Six is flying back to t+he States t+his minute.
T+hen w+hat's on t+he board? Nort+hern lig+hts?
Maybe a group of Soviet planes, up t+here to convince us...
we've accidentally launched a bomber group.
- For w+hat purpose? - As an excuse to retaliate.
If t+hey wanted to do t+hat, t+hey wouldn't need an excuse.
- They'd simply attack. - T+his way, we commit our fig+hters...
our first line of defense, and made us kill our own men.
I disagree wit+h t+hat analysis!
We +have to assume it is our accident and not t+heir plan.
I agree, General. Yes, Saunders?
A report t+hat t+he Russians +have seven bomber groups in t+he air.
- Is t+hat unusual? - T+hat's normal for t+hem.
- About like us. - W+hat kind of course are t+hey on?
Normal patrol patterns inside t+heir own borders.
T+hey +have an abnormally large number of fig+hters in t+he air, sir.
Almost +half t+heir fig+hter strengt+h.
T+hey're +having t+he same problem wit+h Group Six t+hat we +had wit+h t+he UFO.
T+hey don't know w+hat it is, w+hy it's t+here or w+ho it belongs to.
My guess is t+hat t+hey know all about Group Six.
T+hey saw it fly to t+he fail-safe point. T+hey've seen t+hat +happen before.
T+hey know t+he procedure.
- So far, no sweat. - And w+hen t+hey saw it fly past...
T+hey sent up t+heir fig+hter planes just in case.
I don't t+hink t+hey'll take any action unless t+heir border is crossed.
Agreed.
T+hat puts it up to t+he fig+hters.
In my opinion, t+hey will take no action at all.
T+hey won't just sit t+here.
I t+hink if our bombers get t+hroug+h, t+he Russians will surrender.
W+ho is t+he professor, Mr. Secretary? W+hat's +he doing t+here?
Professor Groetesc+hele is a civilian advisor to t+he Pentagon, General.
Will you explain your statement, Professor?
T+he Russian aim is to dominate t+he world.
T+hey t+hink t+hat Communism must succeed eventually...
if t+he Soviet Union is left reasonably intact.
T+hey know t+hat a war would leave t+he Soviet Union utterly destroyed.
T+herefore, t+hey would surrender.
But suppose t+hey feel t+hey can knock us off first?
T+hey know we mig+ht +have a doomsday system:
Missiles t+hat will go into action days, even weeks, after a war is over...
and destroy an enemy even after t+hat enemy +has already destroyed us.
Maybe t+hey t+hink even capitalists aren't t+hat insane...
to want to kill after t+hey t+hemselves +have been killed.
T+hese are Marxist fanatics, not normal people.
T+hey do not reason t+he way you reason, General Black.
T+hey're not motivated by +human emotion suc+h as rage and pity.
T+hey are calculating mac+hines.
T+hey will look at t+he balance s+heet, and t+hey will see t+hey cannot win.
T+hen you suggest doing w+hat?
- Not+hing. - Not+hing?
T+he Russians will surrender...
and t+he t+hreat of Communism will be over forever.
T+hat's a lot of +hogwas+h. Don't kid yourself.
T+here will be Russian generals w+ho would react just as I would:
T+he best defense is a good offense.
T+hey see trouble coming up, t+hey'll attack and won't care w+hat Marx said.
Mr. Secretary, I am convinced...
w+hen t+he Russians know bombs will fall on Moscow, t+hey will surrender.
T+hey know t+hat w+hatever t+hey do t+hen, t+hey cannot escape destruction.
Don't you see, sir? T+his is our c+hance.
We never would +have made t+he first move deliberately...
but Group Six +has made it for us by accident.
We must take advantage of it. History demands it.
We must advise the president not to recall those planes.
T+hey're flaming out.
He's firing anyway.
T+here goes number two.
Mr. President, t+he fig+hters +have not succeeded.
They've gone down into the sea.
W+hat are t+he c+hances of our bombers getting t+hroug+h to Moscow?
We've made t+he calculations a +hundred times:
W+hat t+hey +have in t+he way of defense, w+hat are planes are capable of doing.
T+he Vindicators fly so fast, t+he Russian won't be able to use all t+heir defenses.
One or two of t+he bombers will get t+hroug+h.
T+hank you.
Buck, I'll talk to t+he Soviet premier now.
You'll translate w+hat +he says to me.
He'll +have +his own translator telling +him w+hat I say...
but I want somet+hing more from you.
- Yes, sir, w+hatever I can do. - T+he premier says w+hat +he means...
but sometimes t+here's more in a man's voice t+han in +his words.
T+here are words in one language t+hat don't mean t+he same in anot+her.
- You follow me? - I t+hink so, sir.
It's very important t+he premier and I understand eac+h ot+her.
I don't +have to tell you t+hat.
So I want to know w+hat +he's saying and w+hat you t+hink +he's feeling.
Any inflection of +his voice, any tone...
any emotion t+hat adds to +his words...
I want you to let me know.
- Yes, sir. I'll do my best. - I know you will.
It's all any of us can do.
Don't be afraid to say w+hat you t+hink.
Don't be afraid all t+his is too big for you.
It's big, but it still depends on w+hat eac+h of us does.
History lesson number one.
I'll talk to Moscow now.
It's the premier, sir.
Mr. C+hairman, t+his is t+he president of t+he United States.
Do you +hear me clearly?
Fine, Mr. President. How are you?
I'm calling you on a matter of great urgency.
I +hope it turns out to be a small matter...
but it's t+he first time it's +happened.
If it's misunderstood, it could be...
Does it +have to do wit+h t+he aircraft...
we +have detected flying towards Russia?
Yes, Mr. C+hairman.
I suppose it's anot+her of your off-course reconnaissance flig+hts.
Mr. President, we +have warned you repeatedly...
t+hat t+his constant flying of armed aircraft...
T+his is a serious mistake.
I say, it's a mistake.
Very well. Tell me t+he mistake.
A group of our bombers eac+h loaded wit+h two 20-megaton bombs...
is flying towards your country.
We s+hall watc+h wit+h great interest...
w+hile you recall t+hem.
So far we +have been unable to recall t+hem.
Are t+he planes being flown by crazy men?
We're not sure. It mig+ht be a mec+hanical failure.
All I can tell you is t+hat it's an accident.
It's not an attempt to provoke war. It's not part of a general attack.
How do I know you do not +have +hundreds of ot+her planes...
coming in so low our radar cannot pick t+hem up?
Because I +hope to prove to you t+hat it's an accident...
t+hat we take full responsibility...
t+hat we're doing everyt+hing we can to correct it.
- Go on. - You must +have seen...
t+hat we sent fig+hter planes to s+hoot down t+he bombers.
American fig+hters to s+hoot down American bombers?
T+hat is correct.
- And you gave t+hat order? - I did.
How do I know t+hat t+he planes were not simply diving...
to a low altitude to escape our radar?
On our plotting board, t+he action could only be interpreted...
as planes out of control.
You +have t+he same equipment we do. W+hat did it tell you?
It did not tell us w+hat is in your mind, Mr. President.
I'm telling you t+hat.
And you ask me to believe you?
You must believe me.
You ask for belief at a curious time.
If we don't trust eac+h ot+her now, Mr. C+hairman...
t+here may not be anot+her time.
We saw your planes fall into t+he sea.
I wanted only to +hear your explanation...
and w+het+her it was done at your own order.
It is a +hard t+hing to order men to t+heir deat+h, is it not?
It is.
Sir, t+here's someone trying to persuade +him it's a trick.
T+hey want +him to strike back at once.
Soviet airspace +has still not been violated, Mr. President.
But if it is, we will be forced to s+hoot down your bombers.
And t+hen we will come to full alert wit+h all our missiles and planes.
I understand t+hat. I +hope you're able to s+hoot down our bombers.
But I urge you not to take any steps t+hat cannot be recalled.
You know we must protect ourselves.
You also know t+hat if you launc+h missiles, we must do t+he same.
If t+hat +happens, t+here'll be very little left of t+he world.
I understand.
Is t+here anyt+hing more you wis+h to say?
If I may make a suggestion...
I will arrange to open a conference line...
between our +headquarters in Oma+ha...
and your similar officials in t+he Soviet Union.
We will do all we can to +help you.
We do not need your +help.
We are perfectly capable of defending our country.
As you wis+h, but I must tell you w+hat my people tell me.
No matter w+hat you do...
at least one of t+he planes will get t+hroug+h to t+he target.
W+hat is t+he target?
Moscow.
I'll call you back w+hen I see w+hat our fig+hters do.
How's t+he formation +holding, Sullivan?
Everyone in line, sir.
- How far from t+he border? - Two minutes.
We better start spreading out.
Number six plane in t+he lead. Flynn.
Right here, Colonel.
- Go to work. - Roger.
Project t+he Soviet fig+hter planes.
Give me tig+ht scale on t+he Russian border.
- T+hat does it. - T+hey've crossed t+he border.
Well, Buck, we're into Soviet territory.
A tec+hnical state of war now exists.
Give me Enemy Defense Performance.
This is Enemy Defense Performance Desk, General Bogan.
How do you read t+he situation?
Our number six plane carrying defensive equipment...
and masking devices has moved into the lead.
All those new blips you see are decoys that it's dropped.
Have t+he Russian fig+hters launc+hed any missiles?
Not yet. You'll see their missiles on your scope as tiny dots...
that appear suddenly and then disappear.
There go some of them now.
You can see they're confused by the decoys.
They're still not grouping where the real planes are.
Can you wipe t+he decoys off t+he screen so we see just t+heir planes and ours?
There you are, General.
They're still going after decoys. Our boys aren't making it easy.
Good.
They've picked up one of our planes now.
Get t+hem. Get t+hem!
Knock t+hat off!
T+his isn't some damn football game! Remember t+hat!
That plane's in trouble.
It looks like t+he Soviets +have a very slow missile...
wit+h a muc+h longer range t+han we t+houg+ht t+hey +had.
T+he slowness of speed made our missile calculate...
t+hey must be drones or decoys...
so it ignored t+hem and went after t+he fig+hters.
We can compensate for t+hat. T+he adjustment is minor.
The premier is on the line, sir.
Yes, Mr. C+hairman?
We +have only a little time left, Mr. President.
His voice is subdued, sir.
It's not angry. It's subdued.
How s+hall we use t+his time?
He sounds sorrowful, sad.
W+hat luck are your fig+hters +having?
Luck?
No luck at all.
We +have s+hot down only one of your bombers.
W+hat about t+he ot+her five?
Maybe yes, maybe no.
Your masking devices are better t+han we +had t+houg+ht.
Hundreds of targets +have appeared on t+he radar.
Per+haps t+hey are decoys. Per+haps t+hey are real bombers.
Many of my experts are convinced t+hat t+hey are real.
T+hey urge me to release our own bombers at once.
W+hy don't you, t+hen?
- Good question. - W+hy +haven't you counterattacked?
I am gambling t+hat you are sincere.
My generals are not so +happy wit+h me about t+his...
as I'm sure your generals are not so +happy wit+h you.
But t+here is time for common sense.
I must +have proof, Mr. President.
Neit+her of us wants war...
but we must be convinced t+hat t+his is...
truly a mistake...
t+hat your intentions are not +hostile and t+hat t+here is a c+hance for peace.
Mr. C+hairman, let me ask you somet+hing.
Just before our planes took off from t+heir fail-safe point...
t+here was a w+hite flas+h on our plotting board.
We t+hink t+his is connected to some mec+hanical failure...
t+hat mig+ht +have activated t+heir "go" signal.
Could t+his +have been caused by your radio interference?
T+hey're arguing wit+h +him again, sir...
telling +him not to answer... t+he information is too secret.
Was it your jamming t+hat kept us from getting t+hroug+h to our planes?
I do not know about t+his jamming.
I t+hink +he does.
We cannot be responsible for your mec+hanical failures.
Is it possible? Could it +have +happened?
You asked for proof, Mr. C+hairman. T+his could be it.
T+hey're arguing back and fort+h.
"Don't trust you."
"Have to trust you."
"It's a trick."
We're paying for our mutual suspicions, Mr. C+hairman.
I realize t+hat, but t+he wall must be broken.
We +have to break it down now. We can't afford not to trust eac+h ot+her.
We jammed your radios...
wit+h a special device even I did not know about.
I suppose I must be very proud of our scientists.
It was more effective t+han anyone dreamed.
But w+hy? W+hy t+his time?
We +have computers, like yours.
T+hey computed t+hat t+his time your alert mig+ht be real.
On w+hat grounds?
Probability. T+he law of averages.
T+hey +have t+heir own logic.
It is not +human, but it is positive, so we listen.
Will you lift t+he jamming so I can talk to t+he group commander?
- Will +he return on your command? - T+here's a c+hance.
I'll give t+hat order.
General Bogan.
Yes, Mr. President.
Put me t+hroug+h to Group Six, fast.
Rig+ht away, sir.
- What's the group commander's name? - ColonelJack Grady, sir.
- Does +he +have a wife? - I'll see, sir.
Turkey One, t+his is Ultimate One. Can you +hear me?
- Yes, sir, +he does. - Find her.
If I can't persuade +him, maybe s+he can.
- Yes, sir. - Turkey One, can you +hear me?
Turkey One, t+his is Ultimate One, Can you +hear me?
I +have an important message. Turkey One, can you +hear me?
Turkey One, can you hear me?
This is Ultimate One.
T+hey've stopped jamming us.
T+his is Turkey One. I am not aut+horized to receive messages.
Colonel Grady, t+his is t+he president of t+he United States.
T+he mission you are flying +has been triggered by a mec+hanical failure.
It is a mistake.
I order you and the other planes...
to return at once.
Do you +hear? At once!
Colonel Grady, I repeat. T+his is t+he president.
I can no longer receive tactical alterations by voice.
I know t+hat, but...
W+hat you're telling me, I've been specifically ordered not to do!
Damn it, Grady, t+his is t+he president!
He's still on, sir.
Mr. C+hairman, I t+hink it would be wise...
for you to remove yourself from Moscow...
so t+hat you'll be out of danger.
It will allow us to continue negotiations...
even if t+he worst +happens.
I +have made t+hose arrangements. His voice is toug+her.
Unfortunately, we cannot remove Moscow.
It remains +here, open to your bombs...
and w+hen it is destroyed...
it's people dead because t+here's no time to evacuate t+hem...
w+here s+hall we negotiate, Mr. President?
S+hall I come to Geneva, +hat in +hand, begging for peace?
I offered you +help. You refused it.
I offer it again. We will +help you s+hoot down t+he planes.
Set up your conference line.
I'll come back on t+he p+hone w+hen I'm a safe distance from Moscow.
Activate t+he Ultimate One/Red One Touc+h P+hone, please.
Can we stop t+hem, sir?
Fire. Fire.
Before +he gets off one of t+hose slow ones.
Colonel, knock t+hat off, or I'll +have you taken out of t+his room.
Two down. Four to go.
- Excuse me, sir. - Yes?
Every minute we wait works against us.
Now, Mr. Secretary.
Now is w+hen we must send in a first strike.
We don't go in for sneak attacks.
We +had t+hat done to us at Pearl Harbor.
And t+heJapanese were rig+ht to do it.
From t+heir point of view, we were t+heir mortal enemy.
As long as we existed, we were a deadly t+hreat to t+hem.
T+heir only mistake was t+hat t+hey failed to finis+h us at t+he start...
and t+hey paid for t+hat mistake at Hiros+hima.
You're talking about a different kind of war.
Exactly. T+his time, we can finis+h w+hat we start.
And if we act rig+ht now...
our casualties will be minimal.
Do you know w+hat you're saying?
Do you believe t+hat Communism is not our mortal enemy?
You're justifying murder.
Yes, to keep from being murdered.
In t+he name of w+hat? To preserve w+hat?
Even if we do survive, w+hat are we, better t+han w+hat we say t+hey are?
W+hat gives us t+he rig+ht to live, t+hen?
W+hat makes us wort+h surviving, Grotesc+hele?
T+hat we are rut+hless enoug+h to strike first?
Yes!
T+hose w+ho can survive are t+he only ones wort+h surviving.
Fig+hting for your life isn't t+he same as murder.
W+here do you draw t+he line once you know w+hat t+he enemy is?
How long would t+he Nazis +have kept it up...
if everyJew t+hey came after +had met t+hem wit+h a gun in +his +hand?
But I learned from t+hem, General Black. O+h, I learned.
You learned too well, Professor.
You learned so well t+hat now t+here's no difference...
between you and w+hat you want to kill.
Yes, Mr. President.
Contact our ambassador to Moscow.
Also t+he Soviet delegate to t+he United Nations.
Hook t+hem onto my line.
W+hen t+he Soviet premier comes back on t+he p+hone...
put us all on toget+her.
Yes, Mr. President.
Is t+he Touc+h P+hone open between Oma+ha...
and t+he Soviet command +headquarters?
- Yes, sir, all ready. - Keep it open.
General Black.
Yes, Mr. President.
Remember your Old Testament?
A little.
Remember t+he story of t+he sacrifice of Abra+ham?
Old w+hat's-+his-name used to use it in c+hapel...
at least twice a year.
I remember, sir.
Keep it in mind t+he next few +hours.
I need your +help.
Get out to Andrews Field right away.
Orders will be waiting for you t+here.
Yes, sir.
Blackie, are Kat+herine and t+he kids in New York?
Yes, sir.
I may be asking a great deal of you.
I'll do w+hatever you say.
Good luck, Blackie.
General Bogan.
Yes, Mr. President?
I've activated t+he Touc+h P+hone between you and t+he Soviet command.
- Will you test it, please? - Yes, sir.
T+his is General Bogan, Strategic Air Command, Oma+ha.
I am the translator for Marshal Nevsky.
Marshal Nevsky sends his greetings.
T+he same to +him.
Our reception is five-by-five. How do you read us?
We read you five-by-five.
One moment, please. Mr. President...
we're through to them.
T+hank you, General.
Put me on your public address system so everyone can +hear w+hat I say.
I want t+he Russians to be able to +hear as well.
Yes, sir.
Ready, sir.
Gentlemen, t+his is t+he president of t+he United States.
W+hatever orders I give to American personnel...
are to be considered direct orders from t+he commander in c+hief.
T+hey are to be obeyed fully...
wit+hout reservation and at once.
We must do everything we can...
to prevent our planes from attacking Moscow.
The Soviet premier has behaved as I believe I would...
under similar conditions.
He has delayed retaliation.
I t+hink +he believes t+his is an accident...
but we must convince +him and +his c+hief advisors t+hat it is.
I t+herefore order every American...
to cooperate fully...
with Soviet offiicers...
in shooting down our invading planes.
You are to give whatever information they request.
Any hesitation, any withholding of information...
can +have t+he most tragic consequences.
I cannot emp+hasize t+his too strongly.
Are t+here any questions?
Gentlemen, I expect you to conduct yourselves as patriots...
and I wis+h you success.
Do the missiles on these bombers...
have both infrared and radar homing capabilities?
A number of our fighter planes have been destroyed...
by a missile that seems to home not on the infrared source...
but on the radar transmitter.
Is it possible?
Colonel Cascio will answer your question.
Answer t+he question, Colonel.
T+hat is a direct order.
An order, Colonel!
Colonel!
Just a moment, please.
Major Handel.
General Bogan...
Sergeant Collins, on t+he double!
You're backup man on fire control, aren't you?
Yes, sir.
Do our Vindicator missiles +have bot+h infrared- and radar-seeking capacity?
Yes, sir.
Loud and clear! T+hey've got to know we're on t+he level!
It +has bot+h capacities, sir.
Can the radar-seeking mechanism be overloaded...
by increasing the strength of the signal?
Tell t+hem!
Yes, sir.
It can be overloaded...
but by increasing t+he power output...
and sliding t+hroug+h radar frequencies as fast as possible...
w+hat +happens is t+he firing mec+hanism...
reads t+he +hig+her amperage as proximity to t+he target...
and detonates t+he war+head.
Thank you, General Bogan.
We will be back to you.
T+hat's all, Sergeant.
W+hat does it mean?
We've told t+hem +how to blow up our air-to-air missiles...
and wit+h t+hem, our planes.
T+hey're picking us up.
T+homas, send out t+he code for t+he alternate flig+ht plan.
We're going down to t+he floor.
T+hey're trying to avoid t+he fig+hters by going too low for t+heir radar.
I'm sorry, General, l...
I don't know w+hat +happened. I just couldn't do it.
It was like a... I don't know, a fit or somet+hing.
Colonel, l...
Forget it.
W+ho could +have expected t+his situation?
General, l...
I t+hink t+his is all a trap.
T+hey wanted t+his to +happen.
We know t+hey've been trying to foul up our fail-safe signal.
I t+hink we s+hould tell t+he president it's a trap.
T+hey're just using t+he time to get t+heir missiles ready...
and fly t+heir bombers into position.
We +have no evidence of t+hat.
T+hey could be flying t+heir bombers in t+he grass.
T+hey could +have fired missiles already...
and put t+hem up in t+he orbit of known satellites...
w+here we couldn't detect t+hem.
We computed t+hat problem. Satellites could be used to mask missiles.
We computed a lot of problems.
I'm not reporting anyt+hing I don't know for sure.
I t+hink we s+hould recommend a full-strengt+h attack.
T+hat is not our decision! T+he Pentagon...
T+hey don't know w+hat we know. T+hey're not soldiers anymore.
T+hey're politicians.
T+hey don't care w+hat +happens to us.
T+hey make a mistake, t+hat's politics.
T+hey send out men to be killed. For w+hat?
To make some lousy deal, to sell us out.
Save t+he world, save us.
Save our country before t+hey destroy it...
wit+h t+heir stinking politics.
Order a first strike, General. Put an end to it once and for all.
You +have t+he power. You can do it!
Colonel!
You are talking treason. Stop it now, or I'll +have you put under arrest.
General Bogan, this is Marshal Nevsky.
Yes, Mars+hal.
Can you give us the longitude and latitude...
of the three remaining planes.
Yes, but we can't give you t+heir altitude.
T+he signals we're getting are too distorted.
Will you please give us the position of the three planes?
We can fly fighters at various altitudes.
Can do.
Gentlemen, I am taking over command of t+his post...
at t+he specific order of t+he president of t+he United States.
He +has long been aware t+hat General Bogan is mentally unbalanced...
and +has warned me to observe +him closely.
T+he negotiations w+hic+h General Bogan +has been conducting wit+h t+he enemy...
are t+he acts of a lunatic.
By t+he direct aut+hority of t+he 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 t+han anybody.
You wear t+he uniform. You +have men under your command.
You're in t+he field, but you want t+hem dead before t+hey find you out!
You want me dead!
I saw it t+his morning w+hen you found me wit+h t+hose people.
I'm better t+han you are!
It's a mistake!
You're betraying us all! You're making a mistake!
I'm better t+han you are. You're a traitor.
You're betraying us all!
Mars+hal Nevsky?
Yes, sir.
I am prepared to give you t+he longitude and latitude...
of our bombers in accordance wit+h your request.
I was aware of your diffiiculty, General Bogan.
We have had such problems ourselves.
I await your information.
Major Handel.
General, you better +have a doctor...
T+hey've got anot+her one.
Sit down, anyway. T+hat was a bad knock.
Anyone could crack under t+he strain.
If you ask me, +he was on t+he edge...
He was a good soldier.
The Soviet premier is coming back on the line, sir.
The ambassador and the Soviet delegate are already on.
- Have t+hey been told? - Yes, sir, as you said.
Good.
Jay, w+here are you?
On t+he top floor of t+he embassy in Moscow, Mr. President.
W+here are you, Mr. Lentov?
In the U.N. Building in New York.
I suppose t+here is a reason...
for your ambassador and Comrade Lentov to join us.
T+here is, Mr. C+hairman.
T+hen let's get on wit+h it.
His voice is firmer, sir. Final.
Like +he's made up +his mind.
In a few minutes, t+he bombs may be falling.
I +have broug+ht our forces to a condition of full readiness.
Unless we can satisfy one anot+her, I must release t+hose forces.
W+hat do you propose, Mr. President?
Do your people t+hink t+here is still a c+hance of bringing down t+he bombers?
T+here is always a c+hance.
But I'm asking you, w+hat if t+hey cannot?
W+hat will you do?
Have you made a decision?
Yes.
It's my decision, and I take full responsibility.
Mr. Swenson...
are you on the line?
Yes, Mr. President.
- General Bogan? - Yes, sir.
T+his is w+hat will +happen if even one of t+he bombers gets t+hroug+h.
It will drop two 20-megaton bombs on Moscow.
- Jay? - Yes, Mr. President?
You mig+ht +hear t+he sound of t+he engines...
just before t+he bombs drop, maybe not.
In any case, you'll +hear t+he defensive missiles going off.
Rig+ht after t+hat, t+he bombs will explode.
I'm told t+hat w+hat we will +hear at t+his end...
will be a +hig+h, s+hrill sound.
T+hat will be t+he ambassador's p+hone...
melting from t+he +heat of t+he fireball.
W+hen we +hear t+hat sound...
t+he ambassador will be dead.
You understand, Mr. Ambassador...
you're to stay exactly where you are.
Yes, Mr. President.
He's got to attack.
Is t+his your proposal?
To sacrifice one American for five million Russians?
No, no, listen to me!
I've ordered a Vindicator bomber into t+he air from Was+hington.
In a few minutes, it will be flying over New York City.
It is carrying two 20-megaton bombs.
T+he moment I know t+hat Moscow +has been +hit...
I will order t+hat plane to drop its bombs.
It will use t+he Empire State Building for ground zero.
W+hen we +hear t+he s+hriek of Mr. Lentov's p+hone melting...
we will know t+hat +he is gone...
and wit+h +him, New York.
Holy Mot+her of God.
No.
He can't do it.
W+hat else can +he do?
I don't know any ot+her way, Mr. C+hairman, unless...
unless you feel t+he offer itself is enoug+h.
S+howing our intentions.
Would you t+hink it enoug+h?
If Russian bombers were flying against New York...
could you accept only my good intentions?
No.
I believe t+his was an accident.
But I also believe your action...
is t+he only way out.
I ask you to believe I wis+h it were not so.
Yes.
We can still +hope I won't +have to take t+hat action.
How close to target?
Fourteen minutes, sir.
How many planes left?
Just us and number six.
Flynn.
Still here, Grady.
W+hat's your condition?
Slight wing damage from ordinary flak. That's all.
Speed down to 1350. Drag even.
How many decoys do you +have left?
How many do you need?
Well, I got t+he bombs. You don't.
I want you to take some of t+hose fig+hters off my tail.
- Will do. - Billy?
Yeah?
I depend on you.
General Bogan, can you explain this maneuver?
One of your planes has just appeared again.
It's standard procedure, Mars+hal Nevsky.
T+hat's our number six plane, t+he decoy plane.
It's trying to draw your fig+hters away from our ot+her plane...
carrying t+he bombs.
I see.
It carries only defensive equipment. You don't +have to worry about it.
Thank you. We shall try for a kill in any case.
You'll scatter your forces. You don't +have time for t+hat.
I tell you, it doesn't carry any bombs. You don't +have to worry about it!
You're letting our ot+her plane get t+hroug+h!
I told you!
There has been a...
Marshal Nevsky has collapsed.
It appears... Well, I don't know.
General Koniev is now in command.
Bogan, w+hat's +happened?
Mars+hal Nevsky sent +his fig+hters after a plane t+hat carried no bombs.
T+hat means our number one plane will almost certainly get t+hroug+h.
The marshal realized that. It was too much for him.
General Bogan, this is General Koniev.
Do you have the remaining plane on your screen?
No, sir, we do not.
We cannot see it on our radar, and it is flying so fast...
our antiaircraft is useless.
I must assume the plane will get through.
- Yes. - I intend to focus...
all our remaining rockets on the estimated path of the plane...
and fire them all off at once.
Our hope is to set up a thermonuclear barrier...
that nothing can penetrate.
T+hat mig+ht work. It's wort+h a c+hance.
You speak Englis+h very well, General.
I was liaison to your headquarters in London during the war.
I was stationed rig+ht outside of London.
Yes, I know. With the 8th Air Force.
Did you like London?
Very much.
So did I.
The great cities are those where one can walk.
I would walk all the time in London.
Wherever you turn, there's history.
General, are you in Moscow now?
No.
I was ordered to leave.
Is your...
It's a +hard day.
Yes, a hard day.
Good-bye, my friend.
- Colonel Grady, sir. - W+hat is it, T+homas?
T+he infrared indicator...
s+hows a large number of ground-to-air rockets ignited a+head of us.
T+hey s+hould s+how on t+he scope soon.
W+hat do you know about t+hose rockets?
T+hey're no different from ours, sir.
Designed to +home in on +heat-producing engines...
like an airplane.
T+hey can't be aiming at us. We're too low. T+hey'd blow t+hemselves up.
W+hat are t+hey doing wit+h t+hem?
- General Bogan? - Yes.
They found Mrs. Grady. She's standing by.
Mr. President.
- We have Grady's wife. - Can we get t+hroug+h to +him?
If +he follows procedure, +he'll contact us w+hen +he wit+hin range of t+he target.
T+hose are +his orders so t+hat we know +how to evaluate t+he strike.
- He's been following orders so far. - Yes, sir.
Keep your fingers crossed.
- T+homas. - Yes, sir.
Would t+heir rockets follow missiles too?
I don't see w+hy not. A missile produces +heat.
I t+hink I know w+hat t+hey're gonna do.
Explode t+he rockets on top of us, +hope to knock us down wit+h a blast.
T+hey can do it too. How many air-to-air missiles are left?
Two.
T+he minute you see t+hose rockets ignite on t+he scope...
you fire our missiles and guide t+hem for maximum elevation straig+ht up.
Straig+ht up.
Yea+h. Maybe t+heir rockets will follow t+he missiles...
explode too +hig+h to +hurt us.
Yes, sir.
Colonel Grady, we're in range. We +have to report in.
Watc+h t+hat scope.
Ultimate One, t+his is Turkey One.
- Can you hear me? - Grady, t+his is General Bogan.
Keep receiving no matter w+hat you +hear. Do you understand? Keep receiving.
Jack.
T+his is Helen.
It's Helen.
Do you recognize my voice?
It's not a trick.
It's me.
Jack, you must turn back.
You mustn't drop those bombs.
- Do you +hear me? - Is it really your wife?
T+hey've started t+heir rockets.
Fire one.
Do you hear what I'm saying?
Fire two.
Keep t+hem at least 2,500 feet above t+he rockets.
- Yes, sir. - Jack...
T+here's no war! We're fine!
You must turn back!
T+hey're at 18,000.
- Go! Go! - Nineteen.
- 20,000 feet. - T+he rockets are following t+hem!
Boost t+hem as muc+h as you can. T+he +hig+her, t+he better.
I've never lied to you, +have I?
- 50,000. - I couldn't, no matter w+hat.
You've got to believe me!
80,000 feet.
Ninety. A +hundred.
- T+hey're slowing down. - 130,000. 140,000.
- We'd better get some altitude. - Jack, please, answer me!
170,000!
Jack, do you... Answer me, please!
You can't trust it, sir! We gotta get out of here!
No!
Hang on!
T+heir rockets are catc+hing up!
We're gonna catc+h some of it. Hold tig+ht.
T+here t+hey go.
T+hink we'll make it now.
How many minutes to Moscow?
Seven minutes, sir.
Look...
we +have our c+hoice about w+hat altitude to drop t+he bombs from.
It's about t+he only c+hoice we do +have now.
Blast gave us enoug+h radiation.
At best we'd only last a couple of days.
So I'm taking +her in low.
W+hen we're over t+he target...
climbing to 5,000 feet.
Bombs are set to go at 5,000.
We'll go wit+h t+hem.
Okay?
W+hat t+he +hell. T+here's not+hing to go +home to anyway.
General Stark, are t+here any papers or documents in New York...
w+hic+h are absolutely essential to t+he running of t+he United States?
General Stark?
No, sir.
T+here are important documents, but...
none of t+hem absolutely essential.
Will t+here be any warning given?
A lot of lives could be saved if people +had a few minutes.
On s+hort notice, an alert to a big city would do more +harm t+han good.
All you'd produce is panic.
W+hat about t+his?
Maybe...
Maybe +he doesn't know +his wife is t+here.
He knows.
Gentlemen, we are wasting time.
I've been making a few roug+h calculations...
based on t+he effect of two 20-megaton bombs...
dropped on New York City in t+he middle of a normal workday.
I estimate t+he immediate dead at about t+hree million.
I include in t+his figure t+hose buried beneat+h t+he collapsed buildings.
Wouldn't make any difference, Admiral Wilcox...
w+het+her t+hey reac+hed a s+helter or not.
T+hey would die just t+he same.
Add anot+her million or two w+ho'll die wit+hin about five weeks.
Are immediate problem would be t+he joint one of fire control and excavation.
Excavation not of t+he dead. T+he effort would be wasted t+here.
Even t+houg+h t+here are no irreplaceable government documents in t+he city...
many of our largest corporations keep t+heir records t+here.
It will be necessary to...
rescue as many of t+hose records as we can.
Our economy depends on t+his.
"And t+he Lord said," gentlemen...
"'+he w+ho is wit+hout sin...
let +him cast t+he first stone."'
Sir?
May I +have a drink, please?
How'd you ever get to be a translator, Buck?
You don't seem t+he academic type.
I guess I've got t+his talent for languages, sir.
I +hear a language once, I pick it rig+ht up.
I don't even know +how.
T+hey found out about it in t+he army.
You sound sorry t+hey did.
O+h, no. Very interesting job.
I mean, sometimes.
Well, you did a good job today, Buck.
T+hank you, sir.
All I did was repeat w+hat +he said.
You didn't freeze up. Anot+her man mig+ht +have.
You're t+he one w+ho didn't, sir.
I wonder w+hat it's like out. Looked like rain before.
Radio said it would clear by t+he afternoon.
The premier, sir.
Yes, Mr. C+hairman.
Mr. President...
I +have ordered our long-range missiles...
to stand down from t+heir alert.
Only t+hat part of our defense...
t+hat +has a c+hance of s+hooting down your bomber...
is still active.
We do not t+hink we +have muc+h of a c+hance.
I know.
And yet, t+his was nobody's fault.
I don't agree.
No +human being did wrong.
No one is to be blamed.
We're to blame, bot+h of us.
We let our mac+hines get out of +hand.
Still, it was an accident.
Two great cities may be destroyed, millions of innocent people killed.
W+hat do we say to t+hem, Mr. C+hairman? "Accidents will +happen"?
I won't accept t+hat.
All I know...
is t+hat as long as we +have weapons...
All I know is t+hat men are responsible.
We're responsible for w+hat +happens to us.
Today we +had a taste of t+he future.
Do we learn from it, or do we go on t+he way we +have?
W+hat do we do, Mr. C+hairman? W+hat do we say to t+he dead?
I t+hink, if we are men...
we must say...
t+his will not +happen again.
But do you t+hink it possible...
wit+h all t+hat stands between us?
We put it t+here, Mr. C+hairman, and we're not +helpless.
W+hat we put between us, we can remove.
- Mr. President? - Yes, Jay.
I can hear the sound of explosions from the northeast.
The sky is very bright, all lit up...
Put me t+hroug+h to General Black.
Yes, Mr. President.
Yes, Mr. President?
Moscow's been destroyed.
Drop your bombs according to plan.
Yes, sir.
You've all been briefed on t+he mission, so t+here's not+hing more to say.
I +have only one last order.
Nobody else is to +have anyt+hing to do wit+h t+he dropping of t+he bombs.
Repeat: I will fly t+he plane and release t+he bombs.
T+he final act is my own.
On course, sir. Approac+hing target.
Count down from ten. Give me t+he signal.
Ten, nine...
eight, seven...
six, five...
four, three...
two, one.
Mark.
General Black!
Katie... T+he dream...
T+he dream!
T+he matador.
T+he matador!
T+he matador.
Me!
Me.