In 1973, Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack against Israel.
By Day Two, Israeli ground forces appeared on the verge of defeat.
In the event that their ground forces were overrun, an Israeli A-4 jet took off on patrol...
...with one nuclear bomb.
So what is it?
Are you blind?
It's a bomb.
Where's the fuse?
It's warm.
So am I. Come on. I don't have all night.
It's a dud.
Let's get it on the truck.
But how can we sell it now?
There's always someone who'll buy this crap.
I cannot stand all these questions about my health.
I am to be described as "robust" and "healthy".
Where you received highest honours in English.
Who did it?
General Pildysh, General Mitkin. Unhappy old Communists.
Bastards.
Relieve them of command.
I will shoot them myself.
Just disappear them.
Their execution would tell the world I didn't have control.
These days, better to appear guilty than impotent.
Are you crazy?
All over the world,
right-wing parties...
nationalist movements...
Nazis...
Aryan Nations...
all working together for the first time.
Is that not perfect?
I expected this.
Really?
What will you do?
Nothing.
We will do nothing.
Excuse me.
I'm looking for Mrs Spassky.
At the end of the corridor.
I haven't seen Sasha since university.
And you were his teaching assistant?
Strange, I don't remember you.
When he heard I was in Arzamas, he asked me to look in on you.
He says he'll take me to the West.
That would require a lot of money.
Just because the imbeciles here pay him nothing doesn't mean others won't.
He has a secret job.
For the government?
For imbeciles with money.
Same nonsense, do this, don't do that.
They even told him not to call his mother.
The pigs.
I could die any day and he can't phone his mother.
But my Sasha, he called.
Just last night.
Ah, the warmth of plutonium decay...
It's completely corroded. At least you're wearing gloves.
Anyone want to light up an American cigarette?
You're crazy.
I'm going out.
Mr President...
There's been a nuclear explosion in America.
You must come with us now.
What?
We don't know who or how.
But it wasn't us.
After Grozny...
...you hope it wasn't us.
We are drafting a strong denial for you.
And a statement of sympathy.
And Yuri...order all military on the alert.
Attention.
You've heard of the bomb in the USA.
What you haven't heard is that 15 minutes ago...
...an American ICBM hit Moscow.
We are to retaliate against an Americam aircraft carrier in the North Sea.
Man your aircraft.
We have not yet ascertained the source of this weapon.
But rest assured those responsible will be dealt with most severely.
He's fishing.
Send our reply.
...but we will proect ourselves from further aggression.
He thinks we did this.
We must demonstrate the strength of our weapons.
They have to understand that attacking Russia would be suicide.
Increase the alert status.
I ordered no such attack.
You must not respond to this action until we investigate all possibilities.
You dropped the bomb on Hiroshima.
You dropped the bomb on Nagasaki.
Do not lecture me on Chechnya.
To make no response is to invite a greater attack.
American submarines from Norfolk and Kings Bay are putting to sea.
They carry Trident D3 missiles. A first strike weapon.
Fowler is not so insane as to launch a first strike.
Perhaps he doesn't think it's the first strike.
Once their Stealth bombers go up, we will have no choice.
That will be the sign.
How do we convince him not to launch his bombers?
Maybe we should-
Bring our missiles to highest alert.
They'd be crazy to attack then.
We must help them.
A nuclear strike on Colorado Springs would take out NORAD.
It would limit their ability to launch a counter-attack.
How many people live in CColorado Springs?
Three or four hundred thousand.
Mr President, to use nuclear weapons against the Americans...
...would be to cross a threshold.
They think we already have. should we now wait for them to annihilate us?
I cannot stop what I did not start.
Mr President.
Their Stealth bombers have left Aviano.
That is the sign.
Shoot them down.
God protect us.
How close are the bombers?
They're slipping in and out of radar over Poland.
Activate the missile regiments.
It says 'America has been the victim of a terrorist attack.'
Type exactly what I say.
This is madness. He is CIA.
We cannot hang our fate on the word of their spy.
What is the harm of listening a bit more?
You see? He is wasting time.
We must launch now. We have only moments.
They cut him off.
They are going to strike.
Prepare the launch orders now.