Tom Drake

We, I would participate.

We, I would participate.

Plans were not just defensive. They were also offensive. I mean, that's part of what makes them so classified. It wasn't just what would happen if... someone, they launch the, what do you do? Because you didn't have much time, but then there was first strike, right? So if you, you had to plan for the possibility of a first strike that you would launch, there's times where it came really close.

Plans were not just defensive. They were also offensive. I mean, that's part of what makes them so classified. It wasn't just what would happen if... someone, they launch the, what do you do? Because you didn't have much time, but then there was first strike, right? So if you, you had to plan for the possibility of a first strike that you would launch, there's times where it came really close.

Plans were not just defensive. They were also offensive. I mean, that's part of what makes them so classified. It wasn't just what would happen if... someone, they launch the, what do you do? Because you didn't have much time, but then there was first strike, right? So if you, you had to plan for the possibility of a first strike that you would launch, there's times where it came really close.

Able Archer is one of the exercises where they actually thought that we were engaged in a first strike. This, it goes back to 83.

Able Archer is one of the exercises where they actually thought that we were engaged in a first strike. This, it goes back to 83.

Able Archer is one of the exercises where they actually thought that we were engaged in a first strike. This, it goes back to 83.

Remember, all exercises of any kind, no matter what it is, will have either operation or it just, they'll have the NATO phonetic, you know, like Able, and then there'll be a series depending on what it is. I was fully immersed in that environment.

Remember, all exercises of any kind, no matter what it is, will have either operation or it just, they'll have the NATO phonetic, you know, like Able, and then there'll be a series depending on what it is. I was fully immersed in that environment.

Remember, all exercises of any kind, no matter what it is, will have either operation or it just, they'll have the NATO phonetic, you know, like Able, and then there'll be a series depending on what it is. I was fully immersed in that environment.

Wow. And what's interesting, it was actually on the Soviet side realized it was a notional exercise, but it was ultra realistic. It was so realistic that they were actually preparing to defend themselves with their launch of their nuclear weapons. Really? And he was in the command and control. He was an alert officer. And he said, this is an exercise. Stand down.

Wow. And what's interesting, it was actually on the Soviet side realized it was a notional exercise, but it was ultra realistic. It was so realistic that they were actually preparing to defend themselves with their launch of their nuclear weapons. Really? And he was in the command and control. He was an alert officer. And he said, this is an exercise. Stand down.

Wow. And what's interesting, it was actually on the Soviet side realized it was a notional exercise, but it was ultra realistic. It was so realistic that they were actually preparing to defend themselves with their launch of their nuclear weapons. Really? And he was in the command and control. He was an alert officer. And he said, this is an exercise. Stand down.

And then it's like, what if of history? What if it's a history? Yeah. That's so crazy.

And then it's like, what if of history? What if it's a history? Yeah. That's so crazy.

And then it's like, what if of history? What if it's a history? Yeah. That's so crazy.

That's why they called it MAD, Mutually Assured Destruction. No one really wanted to do it. Especially at the great power level, particularly Soviet Union, U.S., because what could happen? It wasn't just one nuclear mushroom popping up. You're talking just dozens, hundreds. But that was why we had a triad. Because, true, the fixed sites, like Minuteman, right? Right, right, right.

That's why they called it MAD, Mutually Assured Destruction. No one really wanted to do it. Especially at the great power level, particularly Soviet Union, U.S., because what could happen? It wasn't just one nuclear mushroom popping up. You're talking just dozens, hundreds. But that was why we had a triad. Because, true, the fixed sites, like Minuteman, right? Right, right, right.

That's why they called it MAD, Mutually Assured Destruction. No one really wanted to do it. Especially at the great power level, particularly Soviet Union, U.S., because what could happen? It wasn't just one nuclear mushroom popping up. You're talking just dozens, hundreds. But that was why we had a triad. Because, true, the fixed sites, like Minuteman, right? Right, right, right.