Revisiting 'Fail-Safe' Page #3

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Last year, on a flight from Hamburg...

...we lost an engine over England.

One was a heart stopper, but to lose two--

General Bogan.

Why is that group of planes up there

headed for Russia?

In the case of a surprise attack,

people still advocate a return...

...to manned bombers for a first strike

retaliation rather than missiles.

Why? They're slower, they can be recalled.

The missiles cannot.

They provide a maximum reaction time

for thought, evaluation...

...the detection of error,

perhaps even a peaceful resolution.

I find this point of view

dangerously old fashioned, gentlemen.

We must speed up in this circumstance,

not slow down.

Time is a....

Colonel Purnell, get me Omaha.

Colonel.

-Colonel Cascio.

-Sir.

Get me the President.

Tell Peter not to even hint to the press

there's an emergency.

Tell the Vice President what's happened.

He'll know what to do.

-We met before at your office.

-Yes, sir. I'm the Russian translator.

I hope there won't be any use

for you today. Nothing personal.

No, they'll get wind of this,

they always do.

Tell Peter to tell the press that it is urgent.

It's not a backbreaker.

Not yet. And, off the record, no leaks.

Any leaks on this, the guy and his paper

are dead, now and forever.

-I'll tell him in those words.

-Where's the list for the Pentagon meeting?

-Right here, Mr. President.

-Give it to Buck.

I think that'll be all for now. Stay close.

Right outside, sir.

Sit down, Buck.

-You know what's happened?

-No, sir.

One of our bomber groups

got the wrong message...

...went off to attack Russia.

The whole thing may get settled down

in a couple of minutes. Probably will.

The bombers will realize their mistake

and turn back or...

...we'll contact them by radio

and recall them.

But if things do get serious

then I may have to speak to the Kremlin.

That's where you come in.

-I'll do my best, sir.

-I know you will.

Who's on that Pentagon list?

I want them in on this.

Secretary of Defense...

...Chiefs of Staff...

...Professor....

Groteschele.

Runs an expensive think tank.

Pentagon likes him.

He says what they want to hear.

Is there a General Black on that list?

Yes, sir.

That's Blackie. I'm glad he's there.

We went to school together.

He's very smart and I trust him.

Get me General Bogan in Omaha, please.

We have a little time.

Not much, but some. You can relax.

Easier said than done.

General Bogan, sir.

Yes, General Bogan.

Group 6 is about 260 miles past Fail Safe...

...and continuing on an attack course.

-Do we know what happened?

-No, we do not.

There's a chance they made

a navigational error and they'll swing back.

Has that big an error

ever happened before?

-No, sir.

-Then let's rule it out.

Why haven't we been able to contact them

by radio?

I don't know. We've tried all frequencies.

We can't make contact.

The Russians may be jamming

their radio reception.

Why would they do that?

I don't know, sir.

If we do manage to reestablish

radio contact...

...will they respond to an order to return?

No, sir.

Not even from me?

Their orders are to disregard

all voice transmissions...

...even your voice can be imitated,

Mr. President.

Once they get past a certain point,

they are not to obey any verbal command.

Are they past that point?

Yes, sir. Quite a ways past.

What's the target?

Moscow.

All right. Standard Operating Procedure.

What's the next step?

We got fighter planes in the air.

SOP is that we send them

after the bombers...

...with orders to raise them visually

and divert them.

Will it work?

Sir, these men have been trained

to ignore all visual signals.

They've been taught...

...that the Russians could send up a decoy

to divert the bombers.

That leaves us

with what alternative, General?

To shoot them down.

And who gives that order?

You do, Mr. President.

All right.

Order the fighters to catch up

to the bombers.

Tell them to hold fire until they get

a direct order from me. Is that clear?

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Mr. Swenson in the Pentagon, please.

Colonel Cascio.

Contact the fighters.

Tell them to go after Group 6.

We can't shoot down our own men.

Yes, Mr. President.

May I call you back?

Thank you, sir.

Gentlemen!

The President may have to order

our fighters to shoot down Group 6.

He'd like our advice

before issuing that order.

I oppose it on the grounds

that it's premature.

Our fighters haven't reached

Soviet airspace.

We must do it.

-There's still hundreds of miles away.

-Do it at once, now!

-We've got no alternatives!

-There are always alternatives.

This minute...

...the Russians are watching Group 6,

trying to guess what we're doing.

You can be damn sure

once our bombers get...

...into their airspace,

they're going to want a good explanation.

And want it fast.

We have to prove to them

that this is a mistake.

By shooting down our own planes?

If it has to be.

Mr. President, it is our....

It is our unanimous view that...

...the fighters should be ordered in.

Thank you.

General Bogan, order the fighters in.

If necessary, shoot down the bombers.

It will be necessary, sir.

I know that, General. Order them in.

Yes, sir.

-Colonel Cascio.

-Sir.

Order the fighters to attack Group 6.

They can't catch them.

They've gone the opposite direction.

Tell them to go to afterburners.

They'll use up all their fuel.

If they succeed, they won't make it back.

They'll go down in the Arctic Ocean.

You heard the order, Colonel.

-They're still--

-Colonel!

Give the order, immediately.

Give me Tangle Able One.

So, we're going to shoot down

our own men.

We are in voice communication

with Tangle Able One.

You can talk to them on Channel 7.

Single-side band.

-Do I tell them in code or in the clear?

-In the clear.

What if the Russians overhear us?

Isn't that what we want?

This is Tangle Able One,

I read you five by five at last transmission.

Tangle Able One,

this is Colonel Cascio of the Omaha staff.

I'm here with General Bogan.

Listen closely.

Group 6 has flown beyond

the Fail Safe point.

It is on an attack course towards Moscow.

It is a mistake. I repeat, it is a mistake.

Jesus!

You are to go to afterburners...

...and overtake Group 6.

If you cannot communicate

with them visually...

...shoot them down.

Roger. Go to afterburners

and if cannot communicate...

...shoot them down.

-Over and out.

-Leave it on.

You heard the order. Any suggestions?

Yeah. They should get

their heads examined.

We haven't a chance

of catching the bombers.

We only got a 50-mph edge

on them and they're halfway to Moscow.

-Who's kiddin' who?

-Cut the chatter.

On the mark, go to afterburners.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Mark.

Turn it off.

Turn it off!

Did you think they wouldn't do it?

How did General Bogan sound

to you, Buck?

Sir?

Sound worried?

I'd say a little worried, sir.

He's an old-time flyer. He's a good man.

If he's worried, I'm worried.

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