Annie Jacobsen

In the words of Richard Garwin, who was the nuclear weapons engineer who drew the plans for the Ivy Mike thermonuclear bomb, the first thermonuclear bomb ever exploded in 1952, Garwin shared with me his opinion that all it takes is one nihilistic madman with a nuclear arsenal to start a nuclear war. And that's how I begin the scenario.

In the words of Richard Garwin, who was the nuclear weapons engineer who drew the plans for the Ivy Mike thermonuclear bomb, the first thermonuclear bomb ever exploded in 1952, Garwin shared with me his opinion that all it takes is one nihilistic madman with a nuclear arsenal to start a nuclear war. And that's how I begin the scenario.

In the words of Richard Garwin, who was the nuclear weapons engineer who drew the plans for the Ivy Mike thermonuclear bomb, the first thermonuclear bomb ever exploded in 1952, Garwin shared with me his opinion that all it takes is one nihilistic madman with a nuclear arsenal to start a nuclear war. And that's how I begin the scenario.

So, the way it starts is in space. Meaning, the U.S. Defense Department has a early warning system. And the system in space is called SIBRS. It's a constellation of satellites that is keeping an eye on all of America's enemies so that...

So, the way it starts is in space. Meaning, the U.S. Defense Department has a early warning system. And the system in space is called SIBRS. It's a constellation of satellites that is keeping an eye on all of America's enemies so that...

So, the way it starts is in space. Meaning, the U.S. Defense Department has a early warning system. And the system in space is called SIBRS. It's a constellation of satellites that is keeping an eye on all of America's enemies so that...

the moment an ICBM launches, the satellite in space, and I'm talking about one-tenth of the way to the moon, that's how powerful these satellites are in geosync, they see the hot rocket exhaust on the ICBM in a fraction of a second after it launches, a fraction of a second. And so there begins this horrifying policy called Launch On Warning, right? And that's the U.S.

the moment an ICBM launches, the satellite in space, and I'm talking about one-tenth of the way to the moon, that's how powerful these satellites are in geosync, they see the hot rocket exhaust on the ICBM in a fraction of a second after it launches, a fraction of a second. And so there begins this horrifying policy called Launch On Warning, right? And that's the U.S.

the moment an ICBM launches, the satellite in space, and I'm talking about one-tenth of the way to the moon, that's how powerful these satellites are in geosync, they see the hot rocket exhaust on the ICBM in a fraction of a second after it launches, a fraction of a second. And so there begins this horrifying policy called Launch On Warning, right? And that's the U.S.

counterattack, meaning the reason that the United States is so ferociously watching for a nuclear launch somewhere around the globe is so that the nuclear command and control system in the U.S. can move into action to immediately make a counterstrike. Because we have that policy, launch on warning, which is exactly like it says. It means the United States will not wait to absorb a nuclear attack.

counterattack, meaning the reason that the United States is so ferociously watching for a nuclear launch somewhere around the globe is so that the nuclear command and control system in the U.S. can move into action to immediately make a counterstrike. Because we have that policy, launch on warning, which is exactly like it says. It means the United States will not wait to absorb a nuclear attack.

counterattack, meaning the reason that the United States is so ferociously watching for a nuclear launch somewhere around the globe is so that the nuclear command and control system in the U.S. can move into action to immediately make a counterstrike. Because we have that policy, launch on warning, which is exactly like it says. It means the United States will not wait to absorb a nuclear attack.

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.