Annie Jacobsen

And I went, oh, my God, this is coming from the STRATCOM commander. And I knew that was both the end of the third act before nuclear winter and the moment that it all begins. Because... The sort of inescapable nature of nuclear war is what terrifies all of us. And the second moment was I'm also a television writer. For example, I wrote the Amazon series Jack Ryan.

When you're writing TV, you learn about what's called a B story. And you have to have a B story in there to make sure that people don't leave the television set and go do their laundry. I'm talking literal and figuratively and literally. And so I learned narratively that that's a wise approach because I want readers to stay with me.

When you're writing TV, you learn about what's called a B story. And you have to have a B story in there to make sure that people don't leave the television set and go do their laundry. I'm talking literal and figuratively and literally. And so I learned narratively that that's a wise approach because I want readers to stay with me.

When you're writing TV, you learn about what's called a B story. And you have to have a B story in there to make sure that people don't leave the television set and go do their laundry. I'm talking literal and figuratively and literally. And so I learned narratively that that's a wise approach because I want readers to stay with me.

I write about really complex, deeply disturbing, esoteric, you might say, concepts that you guys are familiar with because these are your careers. But most Americans... don't, can't, won't, et cetera. How do you make it interesting for them? So in seeking a B story, I thought,

I write about really complex, deeply disturbing, esoteric, you might say, concepts that you guys are familiar with because these are your careers. But most Americans... don't, can't, won't, et cetera. How do you make it interesting for them? So in seeking a B story, I thought,

I write about really complex, deeply disturbing, esoteric, you might say, concepts that you guys are familiar with because these are your careers. But most Americans... don't, can't, won't, et cetera. How do you make it interesting for them? So in seeking a B story, I thought,

well, goodness, you know, this is going to be very interesting when I find out how continuity of government works, how the president is rushed out of the White House and how he'll wind up at Raven Rock, which is actually the alternate nuclear command and control center from the Pentagon. You guys know that. Readers don't know that. It's a real place. It's not just in movies.

well, goodness, you know, this is going to be very interesting when I find out how continuity of government works, how the president is rushed out of the White House and how he'll wind up at Raven Rock, which is actually the alternate nuclear command and control center from the Pentagon. You guys know that. Readers don't know that. It's a real place. It's not just in movies.

well, goodness, you know, this is going to be very interesting when I find out how continuity of government works, how the president is rushed out of the White House and how he'll wind up at Raven Rock, which is actually the alternate nuclear command and control center from the Pentagon. You guys know that. Readers don't know that. It's a real place. It's not just in movies.

You know, Bill Perry had spoken of it. So I called up Obama's former FEMA director, Craig Fugate. And in our interviews, I asked him, you know, I just confirmed you guys prepare for nuclear war, correct? And he said, oh, yes, it is what is called a low probability, high consequence event. Wow. He said, we also prepare for asteroid strikes. Wow. Wow. Okay.

You know, Bill Perry had spoken of it. So I called up Obama's former FEMA director, Craig Fugate. And in our interviews, I asked him, you know, I just confirmed you guys prepare for nuclear war, correct? And he said, oh, yes, it is what is called a low probability, high consequence event. Wow. He said, we also prepare for asteroid strikes. Wow. Wow. Okay.

You know, Bill Perry had spoken of it. So I called up Obama's former FEMA director, Craig Fugate. And in our interviews, I asked him, you know, I just confirmed you guys prepare for nuclear war, correct? And he said, oh, yes, it is what is called a low probability, high consequence event. Wow. He said, we also prepare for asteroid strikes. Wow. Wow. Okay.

And then he told me a little bit about what's called population protection planning. The acronyms that you guys are so familiar with it. That's how FEMA prepares to help people in the event of an earthquake of, you know, a hurricane fire. And he said to me, Annie, in the event of a nuclear war, there will be no population protection planning because everyone will be dead.

And then he told me a little bit about what's called population protection planning. The acronyms that you guys are so familiar with it. That's how FEMA prepares to help people in the event of an earthquake of, you know, a hurricane fire. And he said to me, Annie, in the event of a nuclear war, there will be no population protection planning because everyone will be dead.

And then he told me a little bit about what's called population protection planning. The acronyms that you guys are so familiar with it. That's how FEMA prepares to help people in the event of an earthquake of, you know, a hurricane fire. And he said to me, Annie, in the event of a nuclear war, there will be no population protection planning because everyone will be dead.

Absolutely. And I hope I conveyed that to readers. And I think I might have, you know, given the readability of this book. And, OK, Sibbers is technologically astonishing. A satellite system one tenth of the way to the moon that can recognize hot rocket exhaust coming out of the back of an ICBM from a nuclear adversary in under a second.

Absolutely. And I hope I conveyed that to readers. And I think I might have, you know, given the readability of this book. And, OK, Sibbers is technologically astonishing. A satellite system one tenth of the way to the moon that can recognize hot rocket exhaust coming out of the back of an ICBM from a nuclear adversary in under a second.

Absolutely. And I hope I conveyed that to readers. And I think I might have, you know, given the readability of this book. And, OK, Sibbers is technologically astonishing. A satellite system one tenth of the way to the moon that can recognize hot rocket exhaust coming out of the back of an ICBM from a nuclear adversary in under a second.

So, yes, you know, America's technological capabilities are incredible. Much to be admired.