Annie Jacobsen

It will launch nuclear weapons in response before the bomb actually hits.

It will launch nuclear weapons in response before the bomb actually hits.

It will launch nuclear weapons in response before the bomb actually hits.

And that was one of the most remarkable details to really nail down for this book when I was reporting this book and talking to Secretary of Defense's, for example, who are the people who advise the president on this matter. Right. You say to yourself, wait a minute, how could that possibly be? And so let's unpack that. Right. So.

And that was one of the most remarkable details to really nail down for this book when I was reporting this book and talking to Secretary of Defense's, for example, who are the people who advise the president on this matter. Right. You say to yourself, wait a minute, how could that possibly be? And so let's unpack that. Right. So.

And that was one of the most remarkable details to really nail down for this book when I was reporting this book and talking to Secretary of Defense's, for example, who are the people who advise the president on this matter. Right. You say to yourself, wait a minute, how could that possibly be? And so let's unpack that. Right. So.

In addition to the launch on warning concept, there's this other insane concept called sole presidential authority. And you might think in a democracy that's impossible, right? You can't just start a war. Well, you can just start a nuclear war if you're the commander in chief, the president of the United States. In fact, you're the only one who can do that.

In addition to the launch on warning concept, there's this other insane concept called sole presidential authority. And you might think in a democracy that's impossible, right? You can't just start a war. Well, you can just start a nuclear war if you're the commander in chief, the president of the United States. In fact, you're the only one who can do that.

In addition to the launch on warning concept, there's this other insane concept called sole presidential authority. And you might think in a democracy that's impossible, right? You can't just start a war. Well, you can just start a nuclear war if you're the commander in chief, the president of the United States. In fact, you're the only one who can do that.

And we can get into later why that exists. I was able to get the origin story of that concept from Los Alamos. They declassified it for the book. But the idea behind that is that nuclear war will unfold so fast, only one person can be in charge. the president. He asked permission of no one, not the Secretary of Defense, not the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, not the U.S. Congress.

And we can get into later why that exists. I was able to get the origin story of that concept from Los Alamos. They declassified it for the book. But the idea behind that is that nuclear war will unfold so fast, only one person can be in charge. the president. He asked permission of no one, not the Secretary of Defense, not the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, not the U.S. Congress.

And we can get into later why that exists. I was able to get the origin story of that concept from Los Alamos. They declassified it for the book. But the idea behind that is that nuclear war will unfold so fast, only one person can be in charge. the president. He asked permission of no one, not the Secretary of Defense, not the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, not the U.S. Congress.

So built into that is this extraordinary speed you talk about, the six-minute window. And some people say, oh, that's ridiculous. How do we know that six-minute window? Well, here's the best sort of You know, hitting the nail on the head statement I can give you, which is in President Reagan's memoirs, he refers to the six minute window and he says he calls it irrational, which it is.

So built into that is this extraordinary speed you talk about, the six-minute window. And some people say, oh, that's ridiculous. How do we know that six-minute window? Well, here's the best sort of You know, hitting the nail on the head statement I can give you, which is in President Reagan's memoirs, he refers to the six minute window and he says he calls it irrational, which it is.

So built into that is this extraordinary speed you talk about, the six-minute window. And some people say, oh, that's ridiculous. How do we know that six-minute window? Well, here's the best sort of You know, hitting the nail on the head statement I can give you, which is in President Reagan's memoirs, he refers to the six minute window and he says he calls it irrational, which it is.

He says, how can anyone make a decision to launch nuclear weapons based on a blip on a radar scope? His words to unleash Armageddon. And yet that is the reality behind nuclear war.

He says, how can anyone make a decision to launch nuclear weapons based on a blip on a radar scope? His words to unleash Armageddon. And yet that is the reality behind nuclear war.

He says, how can anyone make a decision to launch nuclear weapons based on a blip on a radar scope? His words to unleash Armageddon. And yet that is the reality behind nuclear war.

I mean, one of the things I found shocking was how little, apparently, most presidents know about the responsibility that literally lays at their feet, right? So you may think through this six-minute window, I may think through this six-minute window, but...

I mean, one of the things I found shocking was how little, apparently, most presidents know about the responsibility that literally lays at their feet, right? So you may think through this six-minute window, I may think through this six-minute window, but...