1. Hey!
Copy !req
2. What the—Who's that?
Copy !req
3. You're dead.
Copy !req
4. - Who grabbed me? Who grabbed me?
- Watch out!
Copy !req
5. Who grabbed me?
Copy !req
6. - Honey, you're gonna be late.
- What'd you grab me for?
Copy !req
7. Mom, I can't find
my shoes for school.
Copy !req
8. They're under the couch.
Copy !req
9. Sit down. Yeah.
Copy !req
10. Dad, will you sign my permission slip
for tomorrow?
Copy !req
11. Give it to your mother.
Copy !req
12. Your mother's arms are full.
Copy !req
13. - You got time for pancakes?
- Nope.
Copy !req
14. Give us another one, Dad.
Copy !req
15. Secretary of Defense.
Copy !req
16. Dean Rusk.
Copy !req
17. Wrong. And you get
to wax my car.
Copy !req
18. Rusk is State, moron.
It's Robert McNamara.
Copy !req
19. Attorney General.
Copy !req
20. Too easy.
Copy !req
21. Yeah, it's Bobby Kennedy.
Copy !req
22. All right, wise guys.
Assistant Secretary of State
for Latin America.
Copy !req
23. That's too hard.
Copy !req
24. Wait a minute.
This isn't a permission slip.
Copy !req
25. This is your report card.
Copy !req
26. Have you seen these grades?
Copy !req
27. No.
Copy !req
28. All right.
Gotta go. Be good.
Copy !req
29. You—
Copy !req
30. I'm talking to you later.
Copy !req
31. - Morning, Evelyn.
- Hi, Ken.
Copy !req
32. - Ooh, those candies are for the kids.
- Is that right?
Copy !req
33. - Morning, Floyd.
- Good morning, Mr. O'Donnell.
Copy !req
34. - Morning, Jackie.
- Hi, Kenny.
Copy !req
35. - Want a schedule?
- No.
Copy !req
36. Why'd you cross
all my people off the list?
Copy !req
37. Because you don't have anybody
on it who means anything.
Copy !req
38. - No votes there. There's no money.
- It's a party, Kenny.
Copy !req
39. And the one thing we both can be
sure of is that you don't know
how to have a party.
Copy !req
40. Well, party to you,
politics to me.
Copy !req
41. So, who do you want?
For real?
Copy !req
42. Everyone on my list.
Copy !req
43. I don't want to spend
an entire evening
Copy !req
44. pretending that your votes and
money are more interesting
than they really are.
Copy !req
45. And I want my kids
to stop eating the candy
in the Oval Office.
Copy !req
46. That's not me.
Copy !req
47. Then who is it?
Copy !req
48. I don't rat
on my friends.
Copy !req
49. Well, I'm going to take
this whole list thing
up with your friend.
Copy !req
50. Are you trying
to go around me?
Copy !req
51. Go around you,
over you, through you—
Whatever it takes.
Copy !req
52. You're starting to bug me.
Copy !req
53. Good.
Copy !req
54. I'll get back to you.
Copy !req
55. Top of the morning,
Mr. President.
Copy !req
56. Morning, Kenny.
Copy !req
57. Just ran into your wife.
Copy !req
58. - Want to talk about this party?
- No.
Copy !req
59. - You see Homer Capehart's
tirade today?
- I did.
Copy !req
60. I don't see why he needs
to invent an issue.
Copy !req
61. He's got his election
sewn up.
Copy !req
62. Even so, we should
still go out for Bobby.
Copy !req
63. It's good groundwork
for us in '64.
Copy !req
64. Look into that, uh...
Copy !req
65. That Vietnam thing.
Copy !req
66. - What, the 2 planes that went down?
- Yeah.
Copy !req
67. It didn't make it
before press time.
Copy !req
68. I haven't taken a look
at the West Coast papers yet,
Copy !req
69. but I doubt we'll see
anything till tomorrow.
Copy !req
70. I was eating that.
Copy !req
71. - No, you weren't.
- I was.
Copy !req
72. - No, you weren't.
- I was.
Copy !req
73. I was, you bastard.
Copy !req
74. So, what do we got today?
Copy !req
75. Today.
Copy !req
76. That's it.
Copy !req
77. That's the one
we're looking for.
Copy !req
78. - I need to see the President, Kenny.
- All right.
Copy !req
79. 2:30 to 2:45 or 4:30 to 5:00.
Take your pick.
Copy !req
80. No, I need to see him
now, Ken.
Copy !req
81. You can go on up.
I'll let him know you're coming.
Copy !req
82. Coffee?
Copy !req
83. Yeah.
Copy !req
84. That's not what you said.
Copy !req
85. What'd I say?
Tell me what I said.
Copy !req
86. That's not what—
Copy !req
87. Listen to me, you
worthless piece of shit.
Copy !req
88. Now, you will put
Daley's man on the circuit,
Copy !req
89. and you'll do it today.
Copy !req
90. You owe your goddamn job
to this administration.
Copy !req
91. Yeah, I can—I can hear
how grateful you are,
Copy !req
92. but there's a word
you need to learn.
Copy !req
93. It's the only word
in politics.
Copy !req
94. It's called loyalty.
Loyalty!
Copy !req
95. Now, any part of this
you don't understand?
Copy !req
96. Good.
Copy !req
97. What?
Copy !req
98. This isn't the blessed order
of St. Mary the Meek.
Copy !req
99. Look, you better
come in here.
Copy !req
100. What was it you
were saying to me
the other day about Cuba?
Copy !req
101. It wasn't important?
Copy !req
102. Not as far
as the election goes.
Copy !req
103. Mac, let's, uh...
Copy !req
104. Can I see that for a second?
Copy !req
105. Ken, you used to look down
a bombsight for a living.
Copy !req
106. Just ignore the labels.
What does that look like to you?
Copy !req
107. I don't know.
Copy !req
108. What is it?
Copy !req
109. On Sunday morning, one of
our U-2s took these pictures.
Copy !req
110. The Soviets are putting medium-range
ballistic missiles into Cuba.
Copy !req
111. They appear to be the SS-4,
range of 1000 miles,
Copy !req
112. 3-megaton nuclear warheads.
Copy !req
113. Seen here in this year's
May Day Parade in Red Square.
Copy !req
114. Jesus Christ in heaven.
Copy !req
115. White House operator.
Copy !req
116. Yeah, Mr. O'Donnell, please,
for Secretary McNamara.
Copy !req
117. Go ahead, please.
Copy !req
118. White House operator.
Copy !req
119. I've got the President
for the Attorney General.
Go ahead, please.
Copy !req
120. What the crap
is going on today?
Copy !req
121. That's right. That's right.
Copy !req
122. The principals
are assembling in an hour.
Copy !req
123. We'll see you then.
Copy !req
124. Where's Bobby?
Copy !req
125. - He should be here any minute.
- Well, good.
Copy !req
126. Good.
Copy !req
127. Where the hell are you?
Copy !req
128. We're in here.
Copy !req
129. Jesus Christ, guys. What the hell
is Khrushchev thinking?
Copy !req
130. You have any indication of this
from your KGB pal Bolshakov?
Copy !req
131. Any possible warning,
sense of motivation?
Copy !req
132. Complete snow job.
Copy !req
133. And then we went out
and told the country
Copy !req
134. they weren't putting
missiles into Cuba.
Copy !req
135. Jesus, I...
Copy !req
136. I feel like we caught the Jap carrier
steaming for Pearl Harbor.
Copy !req
137. - Good morning, gentlemen.
- Good morning, Mr. President.
Copy !req
138. - Mr. Secretary.
- Mr. President.
Copy !req
139. Bob, I'll bet you
had a late night.
Copy !req
140. Sleep is for the weak,
Mr. President.
Copy !req
141. - Max.
- Mr. President.
Copy !req
142. The CIA's been notified.
Copy !req
143. McCone's on his way back
from the West Coast.
Copy !req
144. He's been burying
his stepson.
Copy !req
145. General Carter
is here, though.
Copy !req
146. - Ted.
- Kenny.
Copy !req
147. OK.
Copy !req
148. Let's have it.
Copy !req
149. Arthur?
Copy !req
150. Gentlemen,
as most of you now know,
Copy !req
151. a U-2 over Cuba
Sunday morning
Copy !req
152. took a series
of disturbing photographs.
Copy !req
153. Our analysis at NPIC
indicates
Copy !req
154. that the Soviet Union
has followed up
Copy !req
155. its conventional weapons
buildup in Cuba
Copy !req
156. with the introduction
of surface-to-surface
Copy !req
157. medium-range
ballistic missiles, or MRBMs.
Copy !req
158. Our official estimate
at this time
Copy !req
159. is that this missile system
is the SS-4 Sandal.
Copy !req
160. We do not believe that the missiles
are as yet operational.
Copy !req
161. Ironbark reports
that the SS-4 can deliver
Copy !req
162. a 3-megaton nuclear weapon
1000 miles.
Copy !req
163. So far, we've identified
32 missiles
Copy !req
164. serviced by about 3,400 men,
Copy !req
165. undoubtedly
all Soviet personnel.
Copy !req
166. Our cities
and military installations
Copy !req
167. in the Southeast as far north
as Washington, D.C.
Copy !req
168. Are in range of these weapons
Copy !req
169. and in the event of a launch
would have only 5 minutes
of warning.
Copy !req
170. 5 minutes, gentlemen.
Copy !req
171. In those 5 minutes, they
could kill 80 million Americans
Copy !req
172. and destroy a significant
percentage of our bomber bases,
Copy !req
173. degrading our
retaliatory options.
Copy !req
174. The Joint Chiefs'
consensus, Mr. President,
Copy !req
175. is that this signals
a major doctrinal shift
in Soviet thinking
Copy !req
176. to a first-strike policy.
Copy !req
177. It is a massively
destabilizing move.
Copy !req
178. How long until
they're operational?
Copy !req
179. General Taylor can answer
that question better than I can.
Copy !req
180. GMAC—Guided Missiles
Intelligence Committee—
Copy !req
181. estimates 10 to 14 days.
Copy !req
182. A crash program
could limit that time,
Copy !req
183. however, I must stress
that there may be more missiles
Copy !req
184. that we don't know about.
Copy !req
185. We need more U-2 coverage.
Copy !req
186. Gentlemen,
I want first reactions here.
Copy !req
187. Assuming for the moment
that Khrushchev has not
gone off the deep end
Copy !req
188. and intends to start World War Ill,
what are we looking at?
Copy !req
189. Well, Mr. President,
Copy !req
190. I believe my team
is in agreement.
Copy !req
191. If we permit the introduction
of nuclear missiles
Copy !req
192. to a Soviet satellite nation
in our hemisphere,
Copy !req
193. the diplomatic
consequences would be...
Copy !req
194. too terrible to contemplate.
Copy !req
195. The Russians are trying
to show the world
Copy !req
196. they can do whatever they want,
wherever they want,
Copy !req
197. and we're powerless to stop them.
If they succeed...
Copy !req
198. It'll be Munich all over again.
Copy !req
199. Yes. Appeasement only makes
the aggressor more aggressive.
Copy !req
200. And the Soviets will be
emboldened to push us even harder.
Copy !req
201. Now, we must remove the missiles
one way or another.
Copy !req
202. Now, it seems to me
the options are either
Copy !req
203. some combination of
international pressure
Copy !req
204. and action on our part
till they give in,
Copy !req
205. Or...
Copy !req
206. We hit them—
Copy !req
207. An air strike.
Copy !req
208. Bob?
Copy !req
209. We worked up
several military scenarios.
Copy !req
210. Before I ask
General Taylor to take us
through the various options,
Copy !req
211. I'd like for us to adopt a rule.
Copy !req
212. If we decide to strike,
Copy !req
213. we must agree now to do it
Copy !req
214. before the missiles
become operational,
Copy !req
215. because once they are,
I don't think we can
guarantee getting them all
Copy !req
216. before at least—
Copy !req
217. At least some of them
are launched.
Copy !req
218. Well, it's clear
we cannot permit
Copy !req
219. Soviet nuclear missiles
in Cuba.
Copy !req
220. We have to get
those missiles out.
Copy !req
221. You know, I don't think
it's going to matter what
Khrushchev's intentions are.
Copy !req
222. I can tell you right now,
Copy !req
223. I don't see any way
around hitting them.
Copy !req
224. If we hit 'em,
kill a lot of Russians,
they'll move against Berlin.
Copy !req
225. All right,
they attack Berlin,
Copy !req
226. that's NATO, and we're at war.
Copy !req
227. We're damned if we do,
but if we don't,
Copy !req
228. we're in a war for sure
somewhere else in 6 months.
Copy !req
229. Well, if there are
alternatives that make sense,
Copy !req
230. and I'm not saying
that there are,
Copy !req
231. then we need them,
and we need them fast.
Copy !req
232. All right.
What about Congress?
Copy !req
233. Now, I think we may need
to start letting key people know,
Copy !req
234. and they're all scattered
across the country
for the campaign.
Copy !req
235. We can get Congress back.
Copy !req
236. We're gonna need to get the U.N.
Stomping and warmed up.
Copy !req
237. What about the allies?
Copy !req
238. We can't start worrying
about everything.
Copy !req
239. Right now we got to
figure out what we're gonna do
Copy !req
240. before we worry about
how we're gonna do it.
Copy !req
241. We've got a bunch
of smart guys.
Copy !req
242. We lock 'em in a room
and kick 'em in the ass
Copy !req
243. until they come up
with some solutions.
Copy !req
244. I'll do it.
Copy !req
245. It's too politicized
with you in there anyway.
Copy !req
246. They need to be able
to stick their necks out.
Copy !req
247. Yeah. It'll be the principals,
Copy !req
248. a couple of the key guys
from each Department—
Copy !req
249. The Executive Committee
of the National Security Council.
Copy !req
250. Call it EXCOM.
Copy !req
251. OK.
Copy !req
252. So, I'm only gonna
show for the meetings
that you call me into.
Copy !req
253. And impress us.
Copy !req
254. Do it fast.
Copy !req
255. And, Kenny, you're
gonna be in charge
of keeping this thing quiet.
Copy !req
256. I mean, if word gets out before
we know what we're gonna do,
Copy !req
257. there's gonna be panic.
Copy !req
258. And it's gonna ruin
any chance we might have
Copy !req
259. at surprise if we decide
to hit them.
Copy !req
260. We're gonna need to do
a few things right away.
Copy !req
261. No Pierre.
Copy !req
262. He knows, the press knows.
Copy !req
263. And you're gonna have
to keep up your schedule.
Copy !req
264. Your movements
are followed too closely.
Copy !req
265. Well, George Ball's got
a conference room at State.
Copy !req
266. Good. You meet over there
this afternoon.
Copy !req
267. We'll figure out some way
to sneak you guys
back in here tonight.
Copy !req
268. I think we should
bring in Dean Acheson.
Copy !req
269. Kenny, he was fighting Soviets
while we were still playing
ball together at school.
Copy !req
270. Find him, Kenny.
Copy !req
271. We're gonna need
all the help we can get.
Copy !req
272. Screw secrecy.
Copy !req
273. You try having that fat ass
sit on your lap all the way
from Foggy Bottom.
Copy !req
274. You were excited.
I say no more.
Copy !req
275. Everybody agrees
the diplomatic route won't work.
Copy !req
276. It's too slow, and they'll
have the missiles finished
while we're still talking.
Copy !req
277. I hear old Warren Harding used to
get his girls in through here.
Copy !req
278. We have 850 planes
Copy !req
279. assembling at Homestead,
Eglin, Opa Locka,
Copy !req
280. MacDill, Patrick,
Pensacola, and Key West.
Copy !req
281. Due to
the tropical foliage,
Copy !req
282. the OPLAN calls
for high explosive
Copy !req
283. and napalm load-outs for
our ground-attack sorties.
Copy !req
284. I still think there are
diplomatic approaches
Copy !req
285. we haven't considered yet.
Copy !req
286. Jesus, Adlai,
peace at any price?
Copy !req
287. We have a gun to our head.
Copy !req
288. We have high confidence
Copy !req
289. in the expanded air-strike
option, Mr. President.
Copy !req
290. The problem is, sir, is that
it's a short-term solution.
Copy !req
291. Khrushchev can send in
more missiles next month.
Copy !req
292. The Chiefs and I believe
Copy !req
293. we should follow up
the air strikes
Copy !req
294. with a full version
of OPLAN 316.
Copy !req
295. - An invasion?
- Yes, sir.
Copy !req
296. We can be sure
we get all the missiles,
Copy !req
297. and we remove Castro
so this can never happen again.
Copy !req
298. Is this the Joint Chiefs'
recommendation?
Copy !req
299. Yes, sir. Our best option,
as Bob pointed out this morning,
Copy !req
300. would be to commence the strikes
before the missiles
become operational.
Copy !req
301. The invasion happens 8 days later.
Copy !req
302. Dean...
Copy !req
303. What do you think?
Copy !req
304. Gentlemen,
for the last 15 years,
Copy !req
305. I've fought here at this table
Copy !req
306. alongside your predecessors
Copy !req
307. in the struggle
against the Soviet.
Copy !req
308. Now, I do not wish
to seem melodramatic,
Copy !req
309. but I do wish
to impress upon you
Copy !req
310. a lesson I learned with
bitter tears and great sacrifice.
Copy !req
311. The Soviet understands
only one language—Action.
Copy !req
312. Respects only
one word—Force.
Copy !req
313. I concur with General Taylor.
Copy !req
314. I recommend, sir, air strikes
followed by invasion,
Copy !req
315. perhaps preceded by an ultimatum
to dismantle the missiles
Copy !req
316. if that is militarily viable.
Copy !req
317. So, it appears
we have 3 options.
Copy !req
318. Number one—
A surgical air strike
Copy !req
319. against the missiles themselves.
Copy !req
320. 2—A much larger air strike
against their air defenses
Copy !req
321. along with the missiles,
and 3—
Copy !req
322. Invasion.
Copy !req
323. So, we're certainly
gonna do number one.
Copy !req
324. We're gonna take
these missiles out.
Copy !req
325. It seems to me
we can't wait very long.
Copy !req
326. We should at least be
making those preparations.
Copy !req
327. We're preparing to
implement all 3 options,
Copy !req
328. though I must stress again, sir,
Copy !req
329. there are risks to the strikes
Copy !req
330. without the follow-on
invasion.
Copy !req
331. You want to be clear,
Mr. President,
Copy !req
332. that we've definitely decided
against a political track.
Copy !req
333. Dean, uh...
Copy !req
334. How does this all play out?
Copy !req
335. Your first step, sir,
will be to demand
Copy !req
336. that the Soviet
withdraw the missiles
within 12 to 24 hours.
Copy !req
337. They will refuse.
Copy !req
338. When they do,
you will order the strikes,
followed by the invasion.
Copy !req
339. They will resist and be overrun.
Copy !req
340. They will retaliate
against another target
Copy !req
341. somewhere else in the world,
most likely Berlin.
Copy !req
342. We will honor
our treaty commitments
Copy !req
343. and resist them there,
Copy !req
344. defeating them per our plans.
Copy !req
345. Those plans call for
the use of nuclear weapons.
Copy !req
346. So what is the...
What is the next step?
Copy !req
347. Hopefully, cooler heads
will prevail
Copy !req
348. before we reach the next step.
Copy !req
349. Thank you, gentlemen.
Copy !req
350. What happened in there?
Copy !req
351. I thought he was gonna
give us his decision.
Copy !req
352. Look, I know them. They just need
to make sure there's no other way.
Copy !req
353. They'll get there.
Copy !req
354. Remember that Kennedy's father
was one of the architects of Munich.
Copy !req
355. There's only one
responsible choice here,
Copy !req
356. so let's hope appeasement
doesn't run in families.
Copy !req
357. I fear weakness does.
Copy !req
358. Jesus Christ.
Copy !req
359. Call—Call me Irish,
Copy !req
360. but I don't believe
in cooler heads prevailing.
Copy !req
361. - You know, they think
I froze in there.
- You didn't freeze.
Copy !req
362. You did exactly
what you should've done.
You stayed out of the corner.
Copy !req
363. You didn't decide.
Copy !req
364. Well, Acheson's
scenario is just—
Copy !req
365. It's unacceptable, and he's got
more experience than any of them.
Copy !req
366. There is no expert
on the subject.
Copy !req
367. I mean, there is no
wise old man. There's—
Copy !req
368. Shit. There's just us.
Copy !req
369. The thing is
that Acheson's right.
Copy !req
370. Talk alone is not gonna
accomplish anything.
Copy !req
371. Well, let's bomb
the shit out of 'em.
Copy !req
372. Everybody wants to.
I mean, even you.
Copy !req
373. I mean, even me.
Copy !req
374. Right? It sure would
feel good.
Copy !req
375. And, Jack,
Copy !req
376. I'm as conniving
as they come, but
Copy !req
377. a sneak attack is just wrong.
Copy !req
378. Things are happening too fast.
I mean, this is starting to smell
Copy !req
379. like the Bay of Pigs
all over again.
Copy !req
380. Well, tonight, listening
to Taylor and Acheson,
Copy !req
381. I kept seeing Lemnitzer
and Dulles telling me
Copy !req
382. all I had to do was
sign on the dotted line,
Copy !req
383. and the invasion would
succeed, and Castro—
Copy !req
384. And Castro would be gone.
Copy !req
385. Just—easy—
Just like that.
Copy !req
386. You know, there's something...
Copy !req
387. immoral about abandoning
your own judgment.
Copy !req
388. We just can't let this
get out of hand.
Copy !req
389. And we're gonna do
whatever we have to do
Copy !req
390. and make this come out right.
Copy !req
391. - I'm gonna stay here tomorrow.
- No, you can't.
Copy !req
392. Remember, we talked about this,
your schedule.
Copy !req
393. The best thing you can do
tomorrow is go to Connecticut.
Copy !req
394. He's right.
Copy !req
395. Yeah.
Copy !req
396. Jesus.
Copy !req
397. Doesn't anybody in Connecticut
have to work today?
Copy !req
398. I love you, JFK!
Copy !req
399. The full spectrum
of air strikes
Copy !req
400. is the minimum response
the Joint Chiefs will accept.
Copy !req
401. No, no, no!
Copy !req
402. Now, there is more
than one option here,
Copy !req
403. And if one isn't occurring to us,
it's because we haven't
thought hard enough.
Copy !req
404. Bobby, sometimes there
is only one right choice,
Copy !req
405. and you thank God
when it's so clear.
Copy !req
406. You're talking
about a sneak attack.
Copy !req
407. How will that make us look?
Copy !req
408. A big country blasting
a little one into the Stone Age.
Copy !req
409. Oh, we'll be
everyone's favorite.
Copy !req
410. Come on, Bobby, that's naive.
Copy !req
411. This is the real world.
Copy !req
412. You know that better than anybody.
Copy !req
413. And you weren't so ethically
particular when we were
talking about options
Copy !req
414. for removing Castro over at CIA.
Copy !req
415. Bob...
Copy !req
416. If we go ahead
with these air strikes,
Copy !req
417. you know what it'll
come to in the end.
Copy !req
418. There has got
to be something else.
Copy !req
419. Give it to me.
Copy !req
420. Now, I don't care how crazy,
inadequate, or stupid it sounds.
Copy !req
421. Give it to me.
Copy !req
422. 6 months ago,
we gamed out a scenario.
Copy !req
423. It's slow. It doesn't
get rid of the missiles.
Copy !req
424. It's got a lot of drawbacks.
Copy !req
425. The scenario calls
for a blockade of Cuba.
Copy !req
426. The situation
is worse than we thought.
Copy !req
427. We now count 40 missiles.
Copy !req
428. 40 missiles.
Copy !req
429. Longer range IRBMs.
Copy !req
430. They can hit every place
in the country
Copy !req
431. except Seattle.
Copy !req
432. Mr. President,
Copy !req
433. you give me
the order right now,
Copy !req
434. my planes will be
ready to carry out
Copy !req
435. the air strikes in 3 days time.
Copy !req
436. All you gotta do is say go.
Copy !req
437. My boys will get
those red bastards.
Copy !req
438. General, how long
until the Army's ready?
Copy !req
439. We've just begun
the mobilization under cover
of a pre-arranged exercise, sir.
Copy !req
440. We're looking at another
week and a half.
Copy !req
441. But you can order the strikes now.
Copy !req
442. The plans call for
an 8-day air campaign.
Copy !req
443. It'll light a fire under
the Army's ass to get in place.
Copy !req
444. General LeMay, do you truly believe
that's our best course of action?
Copy !req
445. Mr. President, I believe
it is the only course of action.
Copy !req
446. America is in danger.
Copy !req
447. Those missiles are
a threat to our bomber bases
Copy !req
448. and the safety
of our nuclear deterrent.
Copy !req
449. Now, without our deterrent,
Copy !req
450. there's nothing to keep the enemy
from choosing general nuclear war.
Copy !req
451. It's our duty, sir,
Copy !req
452. our responsibility
to the American people
Copy !req
453. to take out those missiles
Copy !req
454. and return stability to
the strategic situation.
Copy !req
455. The big red dog is
digging in our backyard,
Copy !req
456. and we are justified
in shooting him.
Copy !req
457. Sir, we have a rapidly closing
window of opportunity
Copy !req
458. where we can prevent
those missiles from ever
becoming operational.
Copy !req
459. The other options
do not guarantee
Copy !req
460. the end result that
we can guarantee.
Copy !req
461. However, as more time goes by,
Copy !req
462. the less reliable the choice
we can offer you becomes.
Copy !req
463. Mr. President,
Copy !req
464. the motto I chose for SAC
Copy !req
465. is "Peace is our Profession."
Copy !req
466. Now, God forbid we find
ourselves in a nuclear exchange,
Copy !req
467. but if launched,
those missiles from Cuba
Copy !req
468. would kill a lot of Americans.
Copy !req
469. The very presence
of those missiles
Copy !req
470. gives the Soviets
first-strike capability.
Copy !req
471. Those missiles make
a nuclear exchange more likely,
Copy !req
472. and that is why I'm being
such a pain in the ass
Copy !req
473. about destroying them and
dstroying them immediately.
Copy !req
474. Hell, even Mac agrees.
Copy !req
475. And, sir, given your own
statements about Cuba,
Copy !req
476. I think a blockade
or a bunch of political talk
Copy !req
477. would be considered by a lot
of our friends and neutrals
Copy !req
478. as a pretty weak response.
Copy !req
479. I suspect that many
of our own citizens
Copy !req
480. might feel the same way.
Copy !req
481. You're in a pretty bad fix,
Mr. President.
Copy !req
482. What did you say?
Copy !req
483. You're in a pretty bad fix.
Copy !req
484. Maybe you haven't noticed
you're in it with me.
Copy !req
485. Now, General, what
are the Soviets gonna do
Copy !req
486. when we attack?
Copy !req
487. Nothing.
Copy !req
488. Nothing?
Copy !req
489. Nothing,
Copy !req
490. because the only
alternative open to them
Copy !req
491. is one they can't choose.
Copy !req
492. You know, they're—
Copy !req
493. They're not just missiles
we're gonna be destroying, General.
Copy !req
494. If we kill Soviet soldiers,
they're gonna respond.
Copy !req
495. I mean, how would we respond
if they killed ours?
Copy !req
496. No, they're gonna
do something, General.
I can promise you that.
Copy !req
497. Those goddamn Kennedys are
gonna destroy this country
Copy !req
498. if we don't do something
about this.
Copy !req
499. We're headed out to the backyard
Copy !req
500. to take a look
for that big red dog.
Copy !req
501. Thanks, Bob.
Copy !req
502. I was hoping LeMay pushed you,
Copy !req
503. because I was ready to knock
that son of a bitch across the room.
Copy !req
504. We knew it was coming.
And I'll tell you one thing, Kenny,
Copy !req
505. those brass heads
have one big advantage.
Copy !req
506. That is, if we do
what they want us to do,
Copy !req
507. there's none of us gonna be left
alive to tell 'em they were wrong.
Copy !req
508. Mr. President, we need to
go over what you're going to say.
Copy !req
509. Gromyko should be
on his way by now.
Copy !req
510. Now, there's still
no sign that they know
Copy !req
511. that we know
about the missiles.
Copy !req
512. Well, we're gonna
keep it that way.
Copy !req
513. Kenny?
Copy !req
514. I'll be right there.
Copy !req
515. I'm getting funny questions
from the guys.
Copy !req
516. Yeah? What sort of questions?
Copy !req
517. About some sort
of military exercises?
Copy !req
518. You want me to do my job
handling the press,
Copy !req
519. I need to know what's going on.
Copy !req
520. - Military exercises?
- Yeah, military exercises.
Copy !req
521. Haven't heard anything about it.
Copy !req
522. Ask Bundy.
Copy !req
523. I did. He said to ask you.
Copy !req
524. Mr. Gromyko,
this way, please.
Copy !req
525. Mr. Dobrynin, what are
your hopes for the meeting?
Copy !req
526. Mr. Gromyko, can you give us
a statement, please?
Copy !req
527. Robert.
Copy !req
528. - Hugh, how are you?
- Good.
Copy !req
529. Excuse me, Joan.
Copy !req
530. So, tell me about
this military exercise that's
going on down in Puerto Rico.
Copy !req
531. What?
Copy !req
532. It's called ORTSAC, I believe.
Castro spelled backwards.
Copy !req
533. ORTSAC? I... I don't know
what you're talking about.
Copy !req
534. Me, either. Why?
Copy !req
535. Well, because maybe
the President and Gromyko
are gonna talk about it.
Copy !req
536. If you're trying to drum
something up, Johnny, forget it.
Copy !req
537. This meeting's been
on the books for months.
Copy !req
538. Far as I know,
it's just a friendly talk
on U.S. -Soviet relations.
Copy !req
539. Sir! Sir!
Copy !req
540. Mr. President!
Copy !req
541. All right, hold it, guys. Hold it.
You'll get your pictures.
Copy !req
542. Does it?
Copy !req
543. Mm-hmm.
Copy !req
544. I'll be damned.
Copy !req
545. Kind of simple for the Pentagon.
Copy !req
546. What is this meeting about, sir?
Copy !req
547. Sir!
Copy !req
548. Mr. Gromyko,
thank you for coming.
Copy !req
549. Hold on, guys. One minute.
Copy !req
550. Gentlemen, would you mind
shaking hands?
Copy !req
551. So that there should be
no misunderstanding
Copy !req
552. the position
of the United States,
Copy !req
553. which has been made clear
by the Attorney General
to Ambassador Dobrynin here,
Copy !req
554. I shall read a sentence from
my statement to the press
dated September 13th.
Copy !req
555. "Should missiles
or offensive weapons
Copy !req
556. "be placed in Cuba,
Copy !req
557. "it would present
the gravest threat
Copy !req
558. to U.S. National security."
Copy !req
559. Mr. President,
Copy !req
560. as Premier Khrushchev's own
statement of September 13th
assured you,
Copy !req
561. our military assistance
to Cuba
Copy !req
562. is of a defensive nature only.
Copy !req
563. So I do not
misunderstand you,
Copy !req
564. There are no offensive
weapons in Cuba?
Copy !req
565. Premier Khrushchev's
statement of September 13th
Copy !req
566. remains the position
of the Soviet Government.
Copy !req
567. To that,
I have nothing to add.
Copy !req
568. Well, that's good enough for me.
Copy !req
569. Thanks so much.
Copy !req
570. Thank you.
Copy !req
571. Gentlemen, if you'll
come with me, please.
Copy !req
572. A most constructive meeting.
Copy !req
573. - What happened?
- Lying bastard.
Copy !req
574. Lied right to my face.
Copy !req
575. We're split down the middle.
Copy !req
576. If I held a vote,
I think air strike would
beat blockade by a vote or two.
Copy !req
577. I want a consensus. I mean,
either air strike or blockade,
Copy !req
578. but something everyone's
going to stand by,
Copy !req
579. even if they don't like it.
Copy !req
580. I need it by Saturday.
Make it happen.
Copy !req
581. What if I can't?
Copy !req
582. We go into this split,
the Russians will know it.
Copy !req
583. They'll know it
and use it against us.
Copy !req
584. Have you canceled Chicago
and the rest of the weekend yet?
Copy !req
585. If you don't show for Chicago,
everyone'll know there's
something going on.
Copy !req
586. - I don't care. Just cancel it.
- Forget it!
Copy !req
587. I'm not calling
and canceling on Daley.
Copy !req
588. You call and cancel on Daley.
Copy !req
589. You're scared
to cancel on Daley?
Copy !req
590. You're damn right
I'm scared.
Copy !req
591. Well, I'm not.
Copy !req
592. Watch this.
Copy !req
593. Welcome to Chicago,
Mr. President.
Copy !req
594. Mr. Mayor, I wouldn't miss
this event for the world.
Copy !req
595. Mr. President, over here!
Copy !req
596. Mayor Daley!
Copy !req
597. Let's go.
Copy !req
598. Tonight, you're going to
experience some true Midwest...
Copy !req
599. Kenny! What's going on?
Copy !req
600. Now the guys are
hounding me about some
troop movements in Florida?
Copy !req
601. What are you telling them?
Copy !req
602. The truth— I don't know.
Copy !req
603. - Am I out of the loop
on something?
- No.
Copy !req
604. Tell them you've looked into it,
and all it is is an exercise.
Copy !req
605. Oh, and, Pierre,
Copy !req
606. Tomorrow, the President
may have a cold.
Copy !req
607. - A what?
- A cold.
Copy !req
608. Kenny, do I get
any input around here?
Copy !req
609. Yeah.
Copy !req
610. How bad it is is up to you.
Copy !req
611. You know, there are major
rail disruptions in the South.
Copy !req
612. 2 Airborne Divisions
are on alert.
Copy !req
613. Sounds to me like that
exercise is an invasion.
Copy !req
614. Well, you know
how Bobby has it in
for the state of Mississippi.
Copy !req
615. We're invading Cuba.
Copy !req
616. Damn it, we are not
invading Cuba.
Copy !req
617. Are you crazy?
Copy !req
618. Nobody gives
a rat's ass about Cuba—
Copy !req
619. Not now, not ever.
Copy !req
620. If you print something like that,
all you're going to do
is inflame the situation.
Copy !req
621. Nobody talks to assholes
who inflame situations.
Copy !req
622. Assholes like that
can find themselves
Copy !req
623. cut out of the loop.
Copy !req
624. That's the first time
you've ever threatened me.
Copy !req
625. All right.
Copy !req
626. I won't print anything
until I have another source,
Copy !req
627. But I promise you,
I'll get one.
Copy !req
628. Bobby.
Copy !req
629. We've got a consensus
for a blockade,
Copy !req
630. but it won't last past tomorrow,
Kenny. You have to bring him back.
Copy !req
631. Oh, by the way,
China invaded India today.
Copy !req
632. You're kidding, aren't you?
Copy !req
633. I wish I were. Galbraith's
handling it in New Delhi.
Copy !req
634. Makes you wonder
what's coming next.
Copy !req
635. Jesus, what is it about
the free world that pisses
the rest of the world off?
Copy !req
636. I don't know.
We have Tupperware parties?
Copy !req
637. Maybe.
Copy !req
638. I'll see you tomorrow.
Copy !req
639. OK.
Copy !req
640. The President has a cold.
Copy !req
641. He's canceling
the remainder of this trip
Copy !req
642. and returning to Washington
on the advice of his doctor.
Copy !req
643. President Kennedy!
Copy !req
644. Is it true
you have a cold, sir?
Copy !req
645. How do you feel,
Mr. President?
Copy !req
646. Mr. President!
Copy !req
647. What's the next step going
to be, Mr. President?
Copy !req
648. Mr. President,
Copy !req
649. our deliberations have
led us to the conclusion
Copy !req
650. that a blockade
of offensive weapons to Cuba
Copy !req
651. is our best option.
Copy !req
652. A strong showing of support
from the Organization
of American States
Copy !req
653. would give us
an umbrella of legitimacy.
Copy !req
654. A blockade is technically
an act of war.
Copy !req
655. Therefore, we recommend
calling the action
Copy !req
656. a quarantine.
Copy !req
657. Let's hope that translates into
Russian the way we want it to.
Copy !req
658. There are between
20 and 30 Soviet ships
Copy !req
659. underway to Cuba at this time.
Copy !req
660. 800 miles out, the Navy
will stop them, board,
Copy !req
661. and any vessels containing weapons
will be turned back.
Copy !req
662. A quarantine prevents any
more missiles from reaching Cuba,
Copy !req
663. but it doesn't remove
the missiles already there.
Copy !req
664. It gives the Soviets a chance
to pull back without a war.
Copy !req
665. If they refuse
to remove the missiles,
Copy !req
666. we retain the option
to strike and invade.
Copy !req
667. A sneak attack would be counter
Copy !req
668. to what the United States
stands for.
Copy !req
669. It leaves us no room
to maneuver,
Copy !req
670. and the inevitable Soviet response
would force us into a war.
Copy !req
671. Mr. President,
there are still those of us
Copy !req
672. who believe we should
proceed with the strikes.
Copy !req
673. Sir, with a blockade,
we lose strategic surprise.
Copy !req
674. We also run the risk
of the Soviets launching
Copy !req
675. a first strike against us
if they decide
Copy !req
676. they have to use
the missiles or lose them.
Copy !req
677. So, quarantine or air strike.
Copy !req
678. Ahem. There is a third option.
Copy !req
679. With either course,
Copy !req
680. we undertake
the risk of nuclear war.
Copy !req
681. So it seems to me that
maybe one of us in this room
Copy !req
682. should be a coward,
Copy !req
683. So I guess I'll be.
Copy !req
684. A third course
is to strike a deal.
Copy !req
685. We trade Guantanamo
and our missiles in Turkey,
Copy !req
686. get them to pull
their missiles out.
Copy !req
687. We employ a back channel.
Copy !req
688. We attribute the idea
to U Thant.
Copy !req
689. U Thant then raises it
at the U.N.
Copy !req
690. I don't think
that's possible, Adlai.
Copy !req
691. I've not yet made
my final decision.
Copy !req
692. I'll be asking the Networks
for airtime on Monday night.
Copy !req
693. We'll announce
our course of action then.
Copy !req
694. Ted, I want you to get
working on speeches
Copy !req
695. for both quarantine
and air strike.
Copy !req
696. Well, thank you for
all your advice, gentlemen.
Copy !req
697. I did hear Adlai.
Copy !req
698. Jesus, you'd think nobody learned
anything from World War II.
Copy !req
699. Somebody had to say it.
Copy !req
700. I respect Adlai for having the guts
to risk looking like an appeaser.
Copy !req
701. We have to pull him.
Copy !req
702. He's not going to be able to handle
the Soviets in front of the U.N.
Copy !req
703. Zorin will eat him alive.
Copy !req
704. We've got bigger
problems right now.
Copy !req
705. Ladies?
Copy !req
706. No, thank you.
Copy !req
707. Honey, I'll be right back.
Copy !req
708. Adlai?
Copy !req
709. Ah. I just can't seem
to get away from you guys.
Copy !req
710. Escaping for a night
on the town, eh?
Copy !req
711. As D.C.'s most popular playboy,
Copy !req
712. the President felt my presence
would be sorely missed, so
Copy !req
713. in the interest of
National Security, here I am.
Copy !req
714. Yes, gotta keep up appearances.
Copy !req
715. Of course, I don't anymore.
Copy !req
716. I'm a political dead man.
Copy !req
717. Did you ever see anyone
cut his own throat
Copy !req
718. like I did today?
Copy !req
719. No, no.
Copy !req
720. It's all right.
Copy !req
721. And by the way,
I spoke to a friend.
Copy !req
722. Reston and Franco have the story.
Copy !req
723. The Times is going to
run it tomorrow.
Copy !req
724. We're not gonna make it to Monday.
Copy !req
725. Shit.
Copy !req
726. We can get Sorenson
to lean on Reston,
Copy !req
727. But you're gonna have
to call Orville Dryfoos.
Copy !req
728. This is the sort of decision
a publisher makes himself.
Copy !req
729. All right.
Thanks, Kenny.
Copy !req
730. Yes, sir, I understand,
but, you know, we held
on the Bay of Pigs,
Copy !req
731. and it was the
biggest mistake of my life.
What makes this different?
Copy !req
732. Orville, I'm asking you
to hold the story
Copy !req
733. until I can present our course
of action on Monday night.
Copy !req
734. All right, but I'm gonna need
a reason to give my boys.
Copy !req
735. They're gonna be screaming
for my head on a plate.
Copy !req
736. Listen, Orville,
you tell them this—
Copy !req
737. That they'll
be saving lives...
Copy !req
738. including their own.
Copy !req
739. Yes, Mr. President.
Copy !req
740. How many Congressmen
have not responded yet?
Copy !req
741. 14.
Copy !req
742. - Boggs is in the Gulf fishing?
- Yes, sir.
Copy !req
743. I thought he was supposed
to be campaigning.
Copy !req
744. Well, he's not gone for long.
Copy !req
745. Jesus. Get a plane out
there and get him back.
Copy !req
746. He wants to talk to LeMay again.
Copy !req
747. He's still considering
air strikes.
Copy !req
748. None of this works tomorrow.
Copy !req
749. - Figure out how to cancel it.
- Yes, sir.
Copy !req
750. We're on the phones.
Copy !req
751. Cam, can you guarantee me
you'll get all the missiles?
Copy !req
752. Sir, I guarantee we'll get
all the missiles we know about.
Copy !req
753. Mr. President, we can get
better than 90%of them.
Copy !req
754. I'll brief the Congressional leadership
tomorrow evening at 5:00.
Copy !req
755. At 7:00, all United States
Armed Forces worldwide
Copy !req
756. will stand up to DEFCON 3.
Copy !req
757. I have a brief statement
to make.
Copy !req
758. President Kennedy will
address the nation tonight
Copy !req
759. on radio and television
Copy !req
760. on a subject of
the highest national urgency.
Copy !req
761. He has requested airtime
on all 3 Networks for 7 p.m.
Copy !req
762. Thank you very much.
Copy !req
763. I am not willing
to support anything
Copy !req
764. but the toughest possible—
Copy !req
765. Congress cannot give you
the support you're looking for.
Copy !req
766. Mr. President! Sir?
Copy !req
767. If they want this goddamn
job, they can have it.
Copy !req
768. It's no great joy to me.
Copy !req
769. Mr. President,
here's the speech.
Copy !req
770. I made those changes you wanted.
Copy !req
771. - I need a minute.
- Kenny, no.
Copy !req
772. A minute.
Copy !req
773. Look, I don't want
a goddamn pep talk.
Copy !req
774. You're not the Harvard
quarterback anymore.
Copy !req
775. We're on the brink here!
Copy !req
776. They're trying to second-guess
me into World War 3.
Well, it's not gonna happen.
Copy !req
777. - What did you think
Congress was gonna do?
- Well, I...
Copy !req
778. Offer you
unconditional support?
Copy !req
779. Kiss your Catholic ass?
Copy !req
780. They don't think we even
deserve to be here.
Copy !req
781. Well, what the hell
do you think?
Copy !req
782. I think we haven't been
that impressive today.
Copy !req
783. They have good reason
to question our judgment.
Copy !req
784. What do you want, Kenny?
Copy !req
785. I want you to sit down.
Copy !req
786. Well, I'm not going to sit down!
Copy !req
787. I want you to sit down,
Copy !req
788. loosen your tie,
and take a minute—
Copy !req
789. I haven't got a minute!
Copy !req
790. You're the President
of the United States.
Copy !req
791. They can wait for you.
Copy !req
792. Well, why not?
Copy !req
793. Things can't get much worse.
Copy !req
794. Oh, I don't know.
We could have to...
Copy !req
795. go down to Lyndon's ranch again
dressed up as cowboys.
Copy !req
796. Shoot deer out of the back
of his Convertible.
Copy !req
797. That was a bad day.
Copy !req
798. You know, I thought
there'd be...
Copy !req
799. more good days.
Copy !req
800. You know, back when
we were in the wards,
Copy !req
801. that day Bobby made me
come down and meet you?
Copy !req
802. I didn't get you at first.
Copy !req
803. I thought you were lucky.
Copy !req
804. Your father had a lot of money.
Copy !req
805. You were skinny.
Girls loved you.
Copy !req
806. I thought I could beat
you and Bobby up together.
Copy !req
807. But he just kept going
on and on about you.
Copy !req
808. I thought it was because
he was your brother.
Copy !req
809. But I was wrong.
Copy !req
810. I was wrong.
Copy !req
811. You sleeping?
Copy !req
812. No. Not much.
Copy !req
813. But I slept last night,
though, you know, and...
Copy !req
814. Jeez, I...
Copy !req
815. When I woke up, I just...
Copy !req
816. Somehow I'd forgotten that
all this had happened, you know?
Copy !req
817. Then, of course,
I remembered, and...
Copy !req
818. I just wished for a second
somebody else was President.
Copy !req
819. You mean that?
Copy !req
820. I said, for a second.
Copy !req
821. Boy, there is a lot of noise
out there, Kenny.
Copy !req
822. You know what you're doing,
Mr. President.
Copy !req
823. You're going to make
the best call you can,
Copy !req
824. and you know they're
going to second-guess you.
Copy !req
825. So what?
Copy !req
826. We're just gonna have to
take our beatings as we go.
Copy !req
827. So, what are we
going to do now?
Copy !req
828. I'm going on TV.
Copy !req
829. You know, maybe the American
people will go with me.
Copy !req
830. Even if their...
Copy !req
831. elected representatives won't.
Copy !req
832. You wear something
nice for the TV.
Copy !req
833. Make sure Jackie picks it.
Copy !req
834. Excuse me.
Copy !req
835. Oh, right. Thanks, Pierre.
Now, I just changed—
Copy !req
836. OK, everybody,
I think we're ready.
Copy !req
837. No, I'm fine. Thank you.
Copy !req
838. Mr. President,
in 5, 4, 3, 2...
Copy !req
839. Good evening,
my fellow citizens.
Copy !req
840. This Government, as promised,
Copy !req
841. has maintained
the closest surveillance
Copy !req
842. of the Soviet military buildup
on the island of Cuba.
Copy !req
843. Within the past week,
Copy !req
844. unmistakable evidence
has established the fact
Copy !req
845. that a series
of offensive missile sites
Copy !req
846. is now in preparation
on that imprisoned island.
Copy !req
847. The purpose of these bases
can be none other
Copy !req
848. than to provide
a nuclear strike capability
Copy !req
849. against
the Western Hemisphere.
Copy !req
850. Acting therefore in the defense
of our own security
Copy !req
851. and under the authority entrusted
to me by the Constitution,
Copy !req
852. I have directed
that the following initial steps
Copy !req
853. be taken immediately.
Copy !req
854. First, to halt
this offensive buildup,
Copy !req
855. a strict quarantine on all
offensive military equipment
Copy !req
856. under shipment to Cuba
is being initiated.
Copy !req
857. All ships of any kind,
bound for Cuba,
Copy !req
858. from whatever nation or port,
Copy !req
859. will, if found to contain
cargos of offensive weapons,
be turned back.
Copy !req
860. Second, I have directed
the continued and increased
Copy !req
861. close surveillance of Cuba
and its military buildup,
Copy !req
862. and should these military
preparations continue,
Copy !req
863. further action will be justified.
Copy !req
864. I have directed the Armed Forces
to prepare for any eventualities.
Copy !req
865. And third, it shall be
the policy of this nation
Copy !req
866. to regard any nuclear missile
launched from Cuba
Copy !req
867. against any nation
in the Western Hemisphere
Copy !req
868. as an attack
by the Soviet Union
Copy !req
869. on the United States
Copy !req
870. requiring a full
retaliatory response
Copy !req
871. upon the Soviet Union.
Copy !req
872. Good speech, Teddy.
Copy !req
873. Yeah, well, I guess
I get to keep my job.
Copy !req
874. No. It was
a really good speech.
Copy !req
875. I can't imagine what you did
with the air strikes version.
Copy !req
876. I wasn't able
to write it, Kenny.
Copy !req
877. It's kind of hard
to write the unthinkable.
Copy !req
878. I tried. I just...
Copy !req
879. I couldn't.
Copy !req
880. We're getting
the Soviet response.
Copy !req
881. It's coming in on the teletype.
Copy !req
882. "The community
of nations recognizes
Copy !req
883. the fundamental right
of freedom of the seas..."
Copy !req
884. It's horseshit.
Copy !req
885. I agree.
Copy !req
886. They don't know how to respond yet.
Copy !req
887. So now you're Khrushchev.
What do you do?
Copy !req
888. You run the blockade.
Copy !req
889. They'll run the blockade.
Copy !req
890. Which is exactly what they
appear to be preparing to do,
Mr. President.
Copy !req
891. We're tracking 26 ships
inbound for Cuba.
Copy !req
892. They show no sign
of changing course.
Copy !req
893. The closest ships,
the Gagarin and the Kimovsk,
Copy !req
894. will make the quarantine line
by this time tomorrow.
Copy !req
895. Admiral Anderson,
if the ships do not stop,
Copy !req
896. exactly what are
our rules of engagement?
Copy !req
897. Well, Russian-speaking personnel
have been transferred
to all our ships.
Copy !req
898. When the quarantine
takes place in the morning,
Copy !req
899. our ships will attempt
to make radio contact
with the approaching vessels.
Copy !req
900. They'll be ordered to reduce speed
and standby for inspection.
Copy !req
901. An inspection team will then
board and search the vessel.
Copy !req
902. If weapons are found,
the ship will be ordered
out of the quarantine area,
Copy !req
903. or if they refuse, they'll
be towed into the nearest port.
Copy !req
904. What happens if
the ship doesn't stop
Copy !req
905. for inspection
or want to be towed?
Copy !req
906. We fire a warning shot
across their bow.
Copy !req
907. And what happens if the ship
ignores the warning shot?
Copy !req
908. We then fire at its rudder,
disable it, and carry on
our inspection.
Copy !req
909. There will be no shooting
without my explicit orders.
Copy !req
910. Is that understood?
Copy !req
911. Yes, sir.
Copy !req
912. Well, Admiral, looks like
it's up to the Navy.
Copy !req
913. The Navy won't let you down, sir.
Copy !req
914. There's one other thing,
Mr. President.
Copy !req
915. We're commencing low-level
photography runs over Cuba
this morning.
Copy !req
916. It'll be more detailed
than the U-2 photography.
Copy !req
917. This way, we'll be able
to firm up our estimates
of the missiles' readiness
Copy !req
918. and develop target packages
for strikes,
Copy !req
919. if you should order them, sir.
Copy !req
920. To protect our pilots,
we're prepared to retaliate
against any SAM site
Copy !req
921. or anti-aircraft battery
that may open fire.
Copy !req
922. We have a flight
of Thunderchiefs
Copy !req
923. that'll be able to respond
within minutes
Copy !req
924. to any attacks on our planes.
Copy !req
925. I got a bad feeling about
what's going on in there.
Copy !req
926. In the morning, I'm taking
charge of the blockade
from the Situation Room,
Copy !req
927. and McNamara is going to set up shop
in the flag plot at the Pentagon
and keep an eye on things there.
Copy !req
928. Good, because you'll
get armed boarders
Copy !req
929. climbing onto Soviet ships,
Copy !req
930. with shots being fired
across bows—
Copy !req
931. - Well, what about these
low-level flights?
- We need the flights.
Copy !req
932. They're starting in what?
An hour.
Copy !req
933. You realize what you're
letting yourself in for?
Copy !req
934. We need the flights,
because the minute that first
missile becomes operational,
Copy !req
935. we gotta go in there
and destroy it.
Copy !req
936. Fair enough,
but Castro's on alert,
Copy !req
937. and we're flying attack
planes over their sites
Copy !req
938. on the deck!
Copy !req
939. There's no way for them to know
we're carrying cameras, not bombs.
Copy !req
940. God damn it!
Copy !req
941. We're going to be shot at,
plain and simple.
Copy !req
942. I'm your political advisor.
Copy !req
943. I'm giving you
a political analysis here.
Copy !req
944. This... This is a set-up.
Copy !req
945. The Chiefs want to go in.
Copy !req
946. They need to redeem themselves
for the Bay of Pigs.
Copy !req
947. They gotta go in this time.
They got to do it right.
Copy !req
948. I'm going to protect those pilots.
Copy !req
949. They're boxing us in with
these rules of engagement.
Copy !req
950. If you agree to them and
one of our planes gets knocked down
Copy !req
951. or one of the ships
won't stop for inspection,
Copy !req
952. the Chiefs will have us
by the balls
Copy !req
953. and will force us
to start shooting.
Copy !req
954. They want a war, Jack,
Copy !req
955. and they're arranging
things to get one.
Copy !req
956. How does a man get to
a place where he can say,
Copy !req
957. "Throw those lives away,"
so easily?
Copy !req
958. Maybe it's harder for them
to say than they let on,
Copy !req
959. but at the very least, they
believe it's in our best interest.
Copy !req
960. And you know what?
Copy !req
961. At the end of the day,
they may well end up being right.
Copy !req
962. Well, I'll tell you one thing,
we're going to have to triple-check
Copy !req
963. everything the Chiefs say to us
Copy !req
964. with the guys that
actually have to do it.
Copy !req
965. And nobody's to know about this,
because I—but Bobby.
Copy !req
966. I need redundant control
over what happens out there.
Copy !req
967. And if things
aren't as advertised,
Copy !req
968. then you're going to
make sure they come out
the way I want them to come out.
Copy !req
969. - That's gonna be—
- Starting with this
low-level flight thing.
Copy !req
970. That's gonna be tough.
Copy !req
971. You know how these guys are
about their chains-of-command.
Copy !req
972. Listen, you tell them
those chains-of-command
Copy !req
973. end at one place— Me.
Copy !req
974. Go ahead, sir.
Copy !req
975. Speak up, lady. I cannot hear you.
I got a train to catch,
Copy !req
976. and I'd like to be home
by Christmas. Yeah?
Copy !req
977. - That's the one.
- Mr. O'Donnell.
Copy !req
978. - What's her name?
- Margaret.
Copy !req
979. - Margaret.
- Give me a break.
I'm doing the best that I can.
Copy !req
980. Yes, sir. I understand exactly
what you're talking about.
Copy !req
981. I speak the language, too.
What?
Copy !req
982. Margaret, would you mind
helping me with something?
Copy !req
983. What do you need, honey?
Copy !req
984. That tone of voice specifically.
Copy !req
985. What tone of voice? What
the hell is he talking about?
Copy !req
986. I told you, sir—
I'm sorry. You're outta here.
Copy !req
987. Ready Room.
Copy !req
988. Hey, Skipper,
what are you doin'?
Copy !req
989. - Lookin' out the door.
- I'll get him for you.
Copy !req
990. - For what?
- Cuba.
Copy !req
991. Skipper!
Copy !req
992. Telephone.
Copy !req
993. - Commander Ecker.
- Commander Ecker?
Copy !req
994. This is the White House operator.
Please hold for...
Copy !req
995. Shit.
Copy !req
996. Honey, you don't know
what shit is.
Copy !req
997. Commander?
My name's Ken O'Donnell,
Copy !req
998. Special Assistant
to the President.
Copy !req
999. Yes, sir.
Copy !req
1000. The President's instructed me
to pass along an order to you.
Copy !req
1001. You are not to get shot down.
Copy !req
1002. Uh... We'll do our best, sir.
Copy !req
1003. I don't think you
understand me, Commander.
Copy !req
1004. You're not to get shot down
under any circumstances.
Copy !req
1005. Whatever happens up there,
you were not shot at.
Copy !req
1006. Mechanical failures are fine.
Copy !req
1007. Crashing into mountains, fine...
Copy !req
1008. But you and your men
are not to be shot at,
Copy !req
1009. fired at, or launched upon.
Copy !req
1010. Excuse me, sir.
What the hell is going on here?
Copy !req
1011. Commander,
if you are fired upon,
Copy !req
1012. The President will be forced to
attack the sites that fire on you.
Copy !req
1013. He doesn't want
to have to do that.
Copy !req
1014. It's very important that he doesn't,
or things could go
Copy !req
1015. very badly out of control.
Copy !req
1016. What about my men?
Copy !req
1017. If we don't have
anybody to protect us,
Copy !req
1018. I'm gonna be writing
letters home to parents.
Copy !req
1019. If the President
protects you, Commander,
Copy !req
1020. he may have to do it
with the bomb.
Copy !req
1021. Now, I've know the man
for 15 years. The problem is...
Copy !req
1022. He will protect you.
Copy !req
1023. So I'm asking,
don't make him protect you.
Copy !req
1024. Don't get shot at.
Copy !req
1025. OK, Mr. O'Donnell,
we'll do what we can.
Copy !req
1026. I know you will.
Copy !req
1027. - Good luck, you guys.
- Find your way back!
Copy !req
1028. Stay close.
Copy !req
1029. Hey, Joey.
Copy !req
1030. - See ya, Joey.
- Thanks, Joey.
Copy !req
1031. Ready to go, Jeremy?
Copy !req
1032. - Hey, Bruce.
- Skipper?
Copy !req
1033. Never mind. Just do what I do.
Hand signs only?
Copy !req
1034. Gotcha.
Copy !req
1035. You are clear
and ready to go, sir!
Copy !req
1036. Good luck, Skipper!
Copy !req
1037. Oh-ho, man! Shit!
Did you see it?
Copy !req
1038. Man, you were lucky, Skipper.
Copy !req
1039. Damn sparrows.
Must've been migrating.
Copy !req
1040. Sparrows?
Copy !req
1041. Probably hit a couple hundred of 'em.
How many did you hit, Bruce?
Copy !req
1042. Sparrows?
Copy !req
1043. A few, I guess.
Copy !req
1044. These, uh, 20 millimeter or
40 millimeter sparrows, sir?
Copy !req
1045. Those are bird strikes.
Copy !req
1046. Sparrows, to be precise.
Copy !req
1047. It's the way it is, guys.
Copy !req
1048. Get that film pack done.
Copy !req
1049. Commander Ecker.
Copy !req
1050. Hello.
Copy !req
1051. - Sir.
- Commander.
Copy !req
1052. Mr. O'Donnell, I've been
ordered to deliver the film
Copy !req
1053. to the Pentagon personally.
Copy !req
1054. What's going on here?
Copy !req
1055. The Chiefs must
want to talk to you.
Copy !req
1056. They're gonna want to know
if you were fired on. Were you?
Copy !req
1057. You could say that, sir.
Copy !req
1058. Commander, listen to me.
Copy !req
1059. Now, I know this
must fly in the face
Copy !req
1060. of everything
you've come to serve,
Copy !req
1061. but I'm asking you to look
through this to the other side.
Copy !req
1062. Commander William B. Ecker
reporting as ordered.
Copy !req
1063. - Commander.
- Sir.
Copy !req
1064. Put your gear down over here.
Copy !req
1065. Would you like a glass
of water or anything?
Copy !req
1066. No, thank you, sir.
Copy !req
1067. - Sir.
- Commander.
Copy !req
1068. Have a seat.
Copy !req
1069. Now, Commander, I assume
you know why you're here.
Copy !req
1070. Son, I want to know just one thing.
Copy !req
1071. Those bastards shoot
so much as a BB gun at you?
Copy !req
1072. It was a cakewalk, sir.
Copy !req
1073. Mr. President,
Copy !req
1074. the O. A.S. Meeting
starts in less than an hour.
Copy !req
1075. Well, good. I think
we need this one, Dean.
Copy !req
1076. We can't expect miracles.
Copy !req
1077. Listen, the quarantine
is legal if we get a mandate.
Copy !req
1078. Otherwise, it's an act of war
in the eyes of the world,
Copy !req
1079. so you gotta get me the vote,
Copy !req
1080. and, you know, make it unanimous.
Copy !req
1081. Mr. President, the Organization
of American States
Copy !req
1082. hasn't had a unanimous vote—
Copy !req
1083. Unanimous... Dean.
Copy !req
1084. In accordance with
this afternoon's vote
Copy !req
1085. at the Organization
of American States,
Copy !req
1086. the quarantine
will hereby be effective
Copy !req
1087. as of 10:00 tomorrow morning.
Copy !req
1088. At 8 a.m. This morning,
Copy !req
1089. the United States
detonated a hydrogen bomb
Copy !req
1090. above Johnston Island
in the South Pacific.
Copy !req
1091. The blast was quickly condemned
by the Soviet Union,
Copy !req
1092. who called upon all nations
to denounce the United States
Copy !req
1093. for bringing the world
to the brink of destruction.
Copy !req
1094. Who the hell
authorized this test?
Copy !req
1095. Christ, what is this gonna
say to the Russians?
Copy !req
1096. They look warlike?
Copy !req
1097. Jesus Christ. We're
lighting off nuclear weapons
Copy !req
1098. like it's our own private
Fourth of July.
Copy !req
1099. You know what we should have done?
Copy !req
1100. We should've brought in the guys
from the Atomic Energy Commission
Copy !req
1101. and talked this through,
you know?
Copy !req
1102. Looked at these tests
a little harder before
Copy !req
1103. just givin' the go-ahead.
Copy !req
1104. You know, last summer I read
a book, "The Guns of August".
Copy !req
1105. I wish every man on that
blockade line had read that book.
Copy !req
1106. It's World War I,
13 million killed.
Copy !req
1107. It was all because
the militaries of both alliances
Copy !req
1108. believed they were
so highly attuned
Copy !req
1109. to one another's movements
and dispositions,
Copy !req
1110. they could predict
one another's intentions,
Copy !req
1111. but all their theories
were based on the last war,
Copy !req
1112. and the world
and technology had changed,
Copy !req
1113. and those lessons
were no longer valid,
Copy !req
1114. but it was all they knew,
so the orders went out.
Copy !req
1115. Couldn't be rescinded.
Copy !req
1116. The man in the field,
his family at home,
Copy !req
1117. they couldn't even tell you
the reasons why their lives
were being destroyed.
Copy !req
1118. But why couldn't they stop it?
Copy !req
1119. What could they have done?
Copy !req
1120. Here we are 50 years later.
Copy !req
1121. If one of their ships
resists the inspection
Copy !req
1122. and we shoot out
its rudder and board,
Copy !req
1123. they shoot down one
of our planes in response,
Copy !req
1124. so we bomb their anti-aircraft sites.
In response to that...
Copy !req
1125. They attack Berlin.
Copy !req
1126. So we invade Cuba.
Copy !req
1127. Then they fire their missiles.
Copy !req
1128. And we fire ours.
Copy !req
1129. Helen, I want you to keep
the kids close tomorrow.
Copy !req
1130. I want you to leave the TV on.
Copy !req
1131. I want you to sleep
with it on in the bedroom
Copy !req
1132. until I call you and tell you
you can turn it off.
Copy !req
1133. What's happened?
Copy !req
1134. Nothing. Nothing you don't
already know about.
Copy !req
1135. Just have the car
ready to go in case I call...
Copy !req
1136. or the Civil Defense Warning
comes on.
Copy !req
1137. What happens to you?
Copy !req
1138. I'm not leaving without you.
Copy !req
1139. I'll be evacuated
with the President.
Copy !req
1140. Great.
Copy !req
1141. Great.
Copy !req
1142. And while you're under a rock
somewhere with the President,
Copy !req
1143. what am I supposed to do
with our 5 children, Kenny?
Copy !req
1144. Honey, we're not gonna
let it come to that.
Copy !req
1145. I promise.
Copy !req
1146. Jack and Bobby, they're...
Copy !req
1147. They're smart guys.
Copy !req
1148. You're smart, too.
Copy !req
1149. Not like them.
Copy !req
1150. Well, hi, Ken.
Copy !req
1151. Helen just asked me
what sort of arrangements
Copy !req
1152. we have for the families.
Copy !req
1153. Yeah, I just checked that myself.
Copy !req
1154. They're being issued
identity cards,
Copy !req
1155. and the call comes,
evacuation officers
Copy !req
1156. meet them at
pre-arranged departure areas.
Copy !req
1157. They go by helicopter
to Mount Weather.
Copy !req
1158. We meet them there.
Copy !req
1159. Of course, that's for morale.
Copy !req
1160. Missiles only take
5 minutes to get here.
Copy !req
1161. The President has
asked Jackie and the children
to come back from the country
Copy !req
1162. and be with him.
Copy !req
1163. You know those pictures
upstairs?
Copy !req
1164. Pictures of Lincoln?
Copy !req
1165. He looked so old near the end.
Copy !req
1166. When we got here,
I said,
Copy !req
1167. "It's not gonna
happen to us."
Copy !req
1168. We were too young.
Copy !req
1169. Why don't you go home tonight?
Copy !req
1170. Go on home.
Copy !req
1171. No. It's too much trouble
to get the car.
Copy !req
1172. Ken, we can get your car
in 15 minutes.
Copy !req
1173. - No.
- Go ahead.
Copy !req
1174. No.
Copy !req
1175. I'll let her sleep.
Copy !req
1176. I'll let 'em sleep.
Copy !req
1177. It almost seemed today
as if time stood still.
Copy !req
1178. The shooting
hadn't started yet,
Copy !req
1179. but there weren't any
really encouraging signs
Copy !req
1180. that it could be avoided,
Copy !req
1181. but worried, alarmed,
afraid, perhaps even,
Copy !req
1182. the American public,
nonetheless,
Copy !req
1183. appeared determined and resolved.
Copy !req
1184. This is Walter Cronkite.
Copy !req
1185. Good night.
Copy !req
1186. Paper?
Copy !req
1187. - Yeah, thanks.
- Here you go, sir.
Copy !req
1188. Gentlemen, can you hear me?
Copy !req
1189. Yes, we can hear you fine.
Copy !req
1190. I've got one minute
till 10:00 here.
Copy !req
1191. The quarantine commences
in one minute.
Copy !req
1192. And no sign of them stopping.
Copy !req
1193. Sir.
Copy !req
1194. Quarantine is now in effect.
Copy !req
1195. And it looks like
our first customers
Copy !req
1196. are the Gagarin and Kimovsk.
Copy !req
1197. Chief, I've got something
at zero-three-zero.
Copy !req
1198. X.O., take a look at this.
Copy !req
1199. New contact, Skipper.
Copy !req
1200. What do we got?
Copy !req
1201. A Russian sub.
Copy !req
1202. General Quarters,
General Quarters!
Copy !req
1203. All hands
man your battle stations!
Copy !req
1204. General Quarters,
General Quarters!
Copy !req
1205. All hands,
man your battle stations!
Copy !req
1206. General Quarters,
General Quarters!
Copy !req
1207. All hands,
man your battle stations!
Copy !req
1208. Bracket 231 correlates to
our submarine at 9,000 yards.
Copy !req
1209. It's protecting the freighters.
Copy !req
1210. Bob, is there any way
Copy !req
1211. we can avoid stopping
a submarine first?
Copy !req
1212. I'm afraid not, Mr. President.
Copy !req
1213. The sub has positioned itself
between the Pierce
and the Soviet ships.
Copy !req
1214. Admiral Anderson insists
it's too much of a risk
Copy !req
1215. to proceed with stopping
the freighters.
Copy !req
1216. The Pierce would be
a sitting duck for the sub.
Copy !req
1217. - Put me through to the Pierce.
- Yes, sir.
Copy !req
1218. Admiral Anderson!
Copy !req
1219. The President wishes
to speak directly to
the Captain of the Pierce.
Copy !req
1220. Is that a problem?
Copy !req
1221. No, it isn't, sir.
Copy !req
1222. He's putting you through, sir.
Copy !req
1223. Sir, I'm patching you
through to the bridge now.
Copy !req
1224. This is the Captain
of the Pierce.
Copy !req
1225. Captain, this is
the President speaking.
Copy !req
1226. Mr. President.
Copy !req
1227. Is there any way
Copy !req
1228. you can force that sub
to the surface without
damaging it or yourself?
Copy !req
1229. I can bring it up, Mr. President,
Copy !req
1230. but whether it's damaged
or not is up to the sub.
Copy !req
1231. Even if they do force it up,
Copy !req
1232. that sub will be inspected
over the crew's dead bodies.
Copy !req
1233. They'd be executed for
allowing it when they got home.
Copy !req
1234. Captain, force the sub
to the surface.
Copy !req
1235. Yes, Mr. President.
Copy !req
1236. - Prepare to fire torpedoes.
- Prepare to fire torpedoes.
Aye, sir.
Copy !req
1237. - Prepare to launch ASROC.
- Prepare to launch ASROC.
Aye, sir.
Copy !req
1238. Watch your fingers!
Copy !req
1239. Watch your fingers.
Copy !req
1240. What are they up to?
Copy !req
1241. They're slowing down.
Copy !req
1242. Mr. Secretary,
Copy !req
1243. I'm receiving reports.
The Russian ships appear
to be stopping.
Copy !req
1244. Mr. President,
Copy !req
1245. Reports are coming
in here to the Pentagon
Copy !req
1246. that the ships
appear to be stopping.
Copy !req
1247. Captain, belay that order.
Belay that order!
Copy !req
1248. Hold your fire!
Copy !req
1249. - Bob, where's that coming from?
- One second, Mr. President.
Copy !req
1250. Somebody find out
what's going on.
Copy !req
1251. Those ships
are definitely stopping.
Copy !req
1252. Some are turning around.
Copy !req
1253. Are they stopping?
Copy !req
1254. I don't know what
the hell they're doing.
Copy !req
1255. Admiral. Admiral,
what's happening!
Copy !req
1256. Yes, sir, they are stopping.
Copy !req
1257. Mr. President,
Copy !req
1258. reports are coming in
from all around.
Copy !req
1259. The ships are stopping.
Copy !req
1260. Some are turning around.
Copy !req
1261. Some are turning around.
Copy !req
1262. We were eyeball to eyeball,
Copy !req
1263. and I think
the other fella just blinked.
Copy !req
1264. Yes, sir.
Copy !req
1265. Yes, sir.
We have that information.
Copy !req
1266. Mr. President.
Mr. President, sir.
Copy !req
1267. We have the tally from NSA.
Copy !req
1268. We have 20 ships stopping
and /or turning around.
Copy !req
1269. 6, however, appear to be
continuing for the line.
Copy !req
1270. It's a, uh, it's a mistake.
Copy !req
1271. They must not have gotten
their orders yet. I'd-let 'em go.
Copy !req
1272. No. That's unlikely, Bobby.
Copy !req
1273. We' ve been monitoring
the radio transmissions
Copy !req
1274. from the Gagarin and the Kimovsk.
Copy !req
1275. Their radios are working
just fine, Mr. President.
Copy !req
1276. One ship, an accident maybe.
Copy !req
1277. 6, Mr. President?
This is intentional.
Copy !req
1278. Mr. President, let 'em go.
Copy !req
1279. Oh, you're still here, Bob?
Copy !req
1280. 4 of the 6 continuing ships
Copy !req
1281. are still a day
away from the line.
Copy !req
1282. They've stopped the ones
we suspect have weapons aboard.
Copy !req
1283. We'd look pretty bad shooting up
a freighter full of baby food.
Copy !req
1284. We sure as shit would.
Copy !req
1285. Captain, I want you to maintain
contact with those ships
Copy !req
1286. and do nothing until I order
otherwise. Is that clear?
Copy !req
1287. Yes, Mr. President.
Copy !req
1288. Contact only.
Copy !req
1289. At its beginning,
this day looked
Copy !req
1290. as though it might be
one of armed conflict
Copy !req
1291. between Soviet vessels
and American warships
Copy !req
1292. on the sea lanes leading to Cuba.
Copy !req
1293. Find out how close
our exercises are coming
Copy !req
1294. to their anti-ship missiles.
Copy !req
1295. God damn it!
Copy !req
1296. How the goddamn hell
did this happen?
Copy !req
1297. I'm gonna have Powers' head
on a platter...
Copy !req
1298. Next to LeMay's.
Copy !req
1299. Kenny, you hear me give the order
to go to DEFCON 2?
Copy !req
1300. Because I remember giving the order
to go to DEFCON 3,
Copy !req
1301. but I must be
suffering from amnesia.
Copy !req
1302. I've just been informed
our nuclear forces are at DEFCON 2.
Copy !req
1303. They were limited, Mr. President.
Copy !req
1304. - The orders were limited
to our strategic forces...
- Max!
Copy !req
1305. in the continental United States.
Copy !req
1306. General LeMay is correct.
Copy !req
1307. Technically, SAC has
the statutory authority—
Copy !req
1308. I have the authority!
Copy !req
1309. I am the Commander in Chief
of the United States,
Copy !req
1310. and I say when we go to war.
Copy !req
1311. We're not at war, sir—
Not until DEFCON one.
Copy !req
1312. General, the Joint Chiefs
Copy !req
1313. have just signaled our intent
to escalate to the Soviets.
Copy !req
1314. You signaled an escalation
which I had no wish to signal,
Copy !req
1315. and which I did not approve.
Copy !req
1316. Just get out of here, Max.
Copy !req
1317. Yes, sir.
Copy !req
1318. Rescind the order.
Can all the Chiefs.
Copy !req
1319. Put Nitze, Gilpatrick and
the Under Secretaries in charge.
Copy !req
1320. - Can't do that, Bobby.
- Yes, we can.
Copy !req
1321. We can't fire the Chiefs, Bobby.
Copy !req
1322. Our invasion talk
would look like a bluff.
Copy !req
1323. Or even worse, that
there's been an attempted coup.
Copy !req
1324. Jesus.
Copy !req
1325. Kenny, give me...
Copy !req
1326. a couple minutes
alone with Bobby, would you?
Copy !req
1327. Just—Just try this on
for size.
Copy !req
1328. We get a hold
of Walter Lippmann,
Copy !req
1329. And we leak the idea of
Copy !req
1330. pulling our Jupiter missiles
out of Turkey,
Copy !req
1331. and the Soviets pull
their missiles out of Cuba.
Copy !req
1332. Act through the U.N.!
Copy !req
1333. K and K must talk!
Copy !req
1334. End the arms race,
not the human race!
Copy !req
1335. Kenny.
Copy !req
1336. Mac.
Copy !req
1337. What did you think of
the Lippmann column this morning?
Copy !req
1338. I think it's a bad idea.
Copy !req
1339. Thank God. Look,
everybody's furious about it.
Copy !req
1340. We trade away our missiles in Turkey,
and we're dead, politically.
Copy !req
1341. You' ve got to stop it.
Copy !req
1342. We know it was Jack and Bobby's idea.
They leaked it to Lippmann.
Copy !req
1343. The military guys
are going ape—
Copy !req
1344. Then they should speak up.
Copy !req
1345. Christ, Ken,
it's not that easy.
Copy !req
1346. - It is.
- No, it isn't.
Copy !req
1347. They don't trust the people
who feel this way,
Copy !req
1348. but these people are right,
and the Kennedys are wrong.
Copy !req
1349. We need you to talk to them.
Copy !req
1350. They'll listen to you.
Copy !req
1351. Jack and Bobby are good men,
but it takes a certain—
Copy !req
1352. You mean the President
of the United States?
Copy !req
1353. And the Attorney General?
Copy !req
1354. Kenny, they are good men,
but it takes a certain character,
Copy !req
1355. moral toughness,
to stand up to the Soviets.
Copy !req
1356. You listen to me.
Copy !req
1357. You're in the White House
right now because of the Kennedys.
Copy !req
1358. Now, they may be wrong,
they make mistakes,
Copy !req
1359. but they are not weak.
Copy !req
1360. The weak ones are these people
who can't seem to speak
their own minds.
Copy !req
1361. You know I don't mean
that they're weak.
Copy !req
1362. No, they just lack
a moral toughness.
Copy !req
1363. Jesus Christ, Mac.
Copy !req
1364. You—You think I'll
play your Judas for you?
Copy !req
1365. You've never understood us,
your kind.
Copy !req
1366. We've been fighting
with each other our whole lives,
Copy !req
1367. but nobody plays us
off each other,
Copy !req
1368. and nobody ever, ever
gets between us!
Copy !req
1369. It's a goddamn
trial balloon, Kenny.
Copy !req
1370. Well, then somebody
better publicly deny it,
Copy !req
1371. 'cause there's only one way
the world's gonna read this.
Copy !req
1372. We sell out one of our friends
for our own safety.
Copy !req
1373. Exactly.
Copy !req
1374. Jesus Christ,
they're just killing us.
Copy !req
1375. and enter into negotiations
Copy !req
1376. in order to normalize
this confrontation
Copy !req
1377. and avert the threat
of a World War.
Copy !req
1378. What is it
that Sun Tzu says?
Copy !req
1379. War's a moral contest,
and they're won in the temples
before they're ever fought.
Copy !req
1380. this enormous danger
for all mankind
Copy !req
1381. which exist at this moment...
Copy !req
1382. It's right here. It's right here.
This is where we turn it around.
Copy !req
1383. You call Adlai,
Copy !req
1384. you tell him to stick it
to this son of a bitch.
Copy !req
1385. diplomatic resolution.
Copy !req
1386. The U.S. Believes that
with their economic boycott,
Copy !req
1387. by pressuring other countries
Copy !req
1388. to cease trade with Cuba,
Copy !req
1389. we would surrender
due to hunger.
Copy !req
1390. How does it feel,
Mr. President,
Copy !req
1391. to be this heroic
Copy !req
1392. and force a country
to surrender...
Copy !req
1393. Am I still on hold here?
Copy !req
1394. They're trying
to find him right now.
Copy !req
1395. Ken, Adlai's too weak.
Copy !req
1396. We have to convince Jack to
pull him. Get McCloy in there.
Copy !req
1397. You can't take him out
this late in the game, Bobby.
Copy !req
1398. Zorin will eat him alive.
Copy !req
1399. Then talk to your brother,
god damn it.
Copy !req
1400. The two of you don't need
my advice to get into trouble.
Copy !req
1401. What's gotten into you?
Copy !req
1402. Are you still sore about
this Lippmann thing?
Copy !req
1403. That's something your father
would have done right there.
Copy !req
1404. My father?
Copy !req
1405. I'm just trying to make a point.
Copy !req
1406. This idea is that fucking bad.
Copy !req
1407. Adlai can handle Zorin.
He knows the inning,
he knows the score.
Copy !req
1408. He better,
Copy !req
1409. because nobody believes
he's up to this—
Copy !req
1410. Nobody.
Copy !req
1411. Yes?
Copy !req
1412. - Adlai?
- Yes.
Copy !req
1413. It's Ken. How you doing?
Copy !req
1414. I'm busy, Ken.
What do you need?
Copy !req
1415. The President told me
to pass a word to you.
Copy !req
1416. Stick it to them.
Copy !req
1417. Cuba together...
Copy !req
1418. I hear you.
I'm glad it's you calling.
Copy !req
1419. L—I thought
it would be Bobby.
Copy !req
1420. Adlai, the world has
to know we're right.
Copy !req
1421. If we're gonna have a chance
at a political solution,
Copy !req
1422. we need international pressure.
Copy !req
1423. You got to be tough, Adlai.
Copy !req
1424. You need to find it, Buddy.
Copy !req
1425. Well, if they're still sticking
Copy !req
1426. to their stonewalling strategy,
Copy !req
1427. I'll get them.
Copy !req
1428. I'm an old political cat,
Kenny...
Copy !req
1429. But I've got one life left.
Copy !req
1430. I know you do.
Copy !req
1431. See you, Ken.
Copy !req
1432. We'll be able to find together
a proper...
Copy !req
1433. Bobby.
Copy !req
1434. We call upon the world
Copy !req
1435. to condemn this purely
American provocation.
Copy !req
1436. We, the people of Romania,
Copy !req
1437. are standing in solidarity
Copy !req
1438. with the people of
the Republic of Cuba
and the revolution
Copy !req
1439. in the face of this
American threat to world peace.
Copy !req
1440. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Copy !req
1441. We're very glad that you could
join us, Mr. Stevenson.
Copy !req
1442. For the last 2 hours,
Copy !req
1443. the entire world here
is asking only questions.
Copy !req
1444. The United States
is pushing the entire world
Copy !req
1445. to the brink of catastrophe.
Copy !req
1446. The people of the whole world
want to know why.
Copy !req
1447. We are told again and again
Copy !req
1448. about some
incontrovertible evidence
Copy !req
1449. of offensive weapons in Cuba...
Copy !req
1450. But no evidence
can be shown to us.
Copy !req
1451. Perhaps your spy planes
are so secret
Copy !req
1452. that you are simply incapable
Copy !req
1453. to present such evidence.
Some planes.
Copy !req
1454. I make the call,
Adlai is out. McCloy goes in.
Copy !req
1455. Let's just hope
it doesn't come to that.
Copy !req
1456. simply don't have
such evidence.
Copy !req
1457. Perhaps the United States
of America is simply mistaken.
Copy !req
1458. Yes, the United States
of America
Copy !req
1459. does not have any facts in hands,
only falsifications.
Copy !req
1460. John, get ready to send
your staffer in.
Copy !req
1461. He's gonna be coming out.
Copy !req
1462. The Chair recognizes
the representative from
the United States of America.
Copy !req
1463. Well, let me say something
to you, Mr. Ambassador.
Copy !req
1464. We do have the evidence.
Copy !req
1465. We do have it, and it is clear
and incontrovertible.
Copy !req
1466. And let me say something else.
Copy !req
1467. Those weapons
must be taken out of Cuba.
Copy !req
1468. You, the Soviet Union,
have created this new danger...
Copy !req
1469. Come on, Adlai.
Copy !req
1470. Not the United States.
Copy !req
1471. Mr. Zorin, I remind you
that the other day
Copy !req
1472. you did not deny
the existence of these weapons,
Copy !req
1473. but today, again,
if I have heard you correctly,
Copy !req
1474. you now say they do not exist.
Copy !req
1475. All right, sir, let me
ask you one simple question.
Copy !req
1476. Come on, Adlai,
don't let him off.
Copy !req
1477. Do you, Ambassador Zorin,
Copy !req
1478. deny that the USSR
has placed and is placing
Copy !req
1479. medium and intermediate-range
missiles in sites in Cuba?
Copy !req
1480. Yes or no?
Copy !req
1481. Don't wait for the translation.
Copy !req
1482. Yes or no?
Copy !req
1483. Yeah.
Copy !req
1484. I am not
in the American courtroom,
Copy !req
1485. and I do not wish to respond
to questions...
Copy !req
1486. questions that a prosecutor
would put to the defendant.
Copy !req
1487. You will get...
Copy !req
1488. all the answers
to your questions
Copy !req
1489. as this session progresses.
Copy !req
1490. You are in a courtroom
of world opinion right now,
Copy !req
1491. and you can answer yes or no.
Copy !req
1492. You have denied they exist, and
I want to know if I have
understood you correctly.
Copy !req
1493. Continue—
Continue your statement.
Copy !req
1494. You will get your answers
in due course.
Copy !req
1495. Don't worry. Don't worry.
Copy !req
1496. I'm prepared to wait for my answer
until Hell freezes over,
Copy !req
1497. if that's what is needed.
Copy !req
1498. John, I'll get back to you.
Copy !req
1499. I'm also prepared to present
the evidence in this room
Copy !req
1500. proving that the Soviet Union
Copy !req
1501. has lied to the world.
Copy !req
1502. If you have decided not
to continue your statement,
Copy !req
1503. the Chair recognizes
the representative from Chile.
Copy !req
1504. I yield my time on the floor
Copy !req
1505. to the representative
of the United States.
Copy !req
1506. Well, then,
ladies and gentlemen,
Copy !req
1507. since it appears we're going
to be here for a while,
Copy !req
1508. shall we have a look at what
the Soviets are doing in Cuba?
Copy !req
1509. May we have
the presentation, please?
Copy !req
1510. Ladies and gentlemen,
if you will observe
in photograph "a"...
Copy !req
1511. Yeah. Yeah.
Copy !req
1512. taken approximately
August 29...
Copy !req
1513. Old Adlai had it
in him after all.
Copy !req
1514. Zorin must not have
gotten instructions.
Copy !req
1515. Somebody in their Foreign Ministry
is blowing it big time.
Copy !req
1516. In photograph "b",
we have October 14th.
The photograph taken then...
Copy !req
1517. Mr. President.
Copy !req
1518. There are at least 3 missile sites
being constructed.
Copy !req
1519. There are bunkers...
Copy !req
1520. The ship is called the Grozny.
Copy !req
1521. We lost track of it
yesterday at nightfall.
Copy !req
1522. We thought we gave it
plenty of room when we
moved the quarantine line back.
Copy !req
1523. We just reacquired it.
Copy !req
1524. It crossed the line
hours ago.
Copy !req
1525. Well, how the hell do you
lose a goddamn tanker?
Copy !req
1526. What the hell's going on
over there?
Copy !req
1527. Hail 'em again.
Copy !req
1528. I want you to try 'em again.
Copy !req
1529. We are kidding ourselves.
Copy !req
1530. New coordinates for the Pierce.
Copy !req
1531. Pierce coordinates,
25 degrees, 30 minutes north,
Copy !req
1532. 78 degrees, 10 minutes west.
Copy !req
1533. Not responding, Chief.
Copy !req
1534. Tell the Skipper.
Copy !req
1535. They're not responding, sir.
Copy !req
1536. General Quarters,
General Quarters!
Copy !req
1537. All hands,
man your battle stations.
Copy !req
1538. All hands,
man your battle stations.
Copy !req
1539. Very well. Load your guns.
Copy !req
1540. Guns are loaded, sir.
Copy !req
1541. What was that, Admiral?
Copy !req
1542. We've been hailing the Grozny
for the last hour, Mr. Secretary.
Copy !req
1543. The Grozny refuses to stop.
Copy !req
1544. What are you doing?
Copy !req
1545. Carrying out our mission,
Mr. Secretary.
Copy !req
1546. Now, if you don't mind,
we're very busy right now.
Copy !req
1547. We need to be able
to do our jobs.
Copy !req
1548. Admiral, I asked you a question.
Copy !req
1549. We're going to follow
the rules of engagement—
Copy !req
1550. The rules of engagement
which the President has
approved and signed
Copy !req
1551. in his order of 23 October.
Copy !req
1552. Yes.
Copy !req
1553. Yes, you may proceed,
Captain.
Copy !req
1554. - Clear your guns.
- What?
Copy !req
1555. Damn it!
Copy !req
1556. - Stop that firing!
- What?
Copy !req
1557. Stop that firing!
Copy !req
1558. Cease fire. Cease fire!
Copy !req
1559. God help us.
Copy !req
1560. - The ship was firing star shells.
- What?
Copy !req
1561. Star shells! Flares,
Mr. Secretary.
Copy !req
1562. God damn it! I've got
a job to do here.
Copy !req
1563. Now, you've been camped out
out there since Monday night.
Copy !req
1564. You're tired, you're exhausted,
and you're making mistakes.
Copy !req
1565. You interfere with me and
you will get some of my men killed,
Copy !req
1566. and I will not allow that!
Copy !req
1567. Star shells.
Copy !req
1568. Get out of our way,
Mr. Secretary.
Copy !req
1569. The Navy's been
running blockades
Copy !req
1570. since the days
of John Paul Jones.
Copy !req
1571. I believe the President
made it clear
Copy !req
1572. that there will be no firing on ships
without his express permission.
Copy !req
1573. With all due respect,
Mr. Secretary,
Copy !req
1574. we were not firing on that ship.
Copy !req
1575. What the hell was that?
Copy !req
1576. Firing on a ship
means attacking a ship.
Copy !req
1577. We were not attacking
that ship.
Copy !req
1578. We were firing over it.
Copy !req
1579. That was not the President's
intention when he gave that order.
Copy !req
1580. What if the Soviets
don't see the distinction?
Copy !req
1581. What if they make
the same mistake I just made?
Copy !req
1582. There will be no firing anything
near any Soviet ships
Copy !req
1583. without my express permission.
Copy !req
1584. Now is that understood,
Admiral?
Copy !req
1585. Is it?
Copy !req
1586. Yes, sir.
Copy !req
1587. And I will only issue
such instructions
Copy !req
1588. when ordered to
by the President.
Copy !req
1589. John Paul Jones!
Copy !req
1590. You don't understand a thing,
do you, Admiral?
Copy !req
1591. This isn't a blockade!
Copy !req
1592. This is language—
A new vocabulary
Copy !req
1593. the likes of which the world
has never seen.
Copy !req
1594. This is President Kennedy
Copy !req
1595. communicating
with Secretary Khrushchev.
Copy !req
1596. Well, who the hell
authorized this missile test?
Copy !req
1597. Who do you think?
Copy !req
1598. God knows what this is gonna
communicate to the Soviets.
Copy !req
1599. Communicate with the Soviets?
Copy !req
1600. We can't communicate
with the Pentagon,
Copy !req
1601. and it's just across
the goddamn river.
Copy !req
1602. LeMay must think
you're afraid of him.
Copy !req
1603. I'm not taking that bait.
Copy !req
1604. The right move here
is to move on.
Copy !req
1605. The United States Destroyer
Joseph P. Kennedy...
Copy !req
1606. This is the point
Copy !req
1607. at which we are concerned
Copy !req
1608. that there
might be shooting
Copy !req
1609. among the ships at sea,
Copy !req
1610. the possibility that invasion
might have to be undertaken
Copy !req
1611. to assure that those bases
are eliminated.
Copy !req
1612. If invasion is undertaken,
Copy !req
1613. the Russians have said
that they would retaliate
Copy !req
1614. with rocket fire.
Copy !req
1615. We have said if there's
rocket fire from Cuba,
Copy !req
1616. we will retaliate,
Copy !req
1617. and there goes
the whole ballgame.
Copy !req
1618. Kenny.
Copy !req
1619. What's this?
Copy !req
1620. Can anyone just
walk in here now?
Copy !req
1621. Ken, don't worry. I'm not
here to do an interview.
Copy !req
1622. Well, if you're looking
for a cup of sugar, John,
you got the wrong door.
Copy !req
1623. Kenny, we need to see
the President.
Copy !req
1624. Something's happened.
Copy !req
1625. The point of the crisis...
This is the point at which...
Copy !req
1626. I have lunch with him,
maybe once a month.
Copy !req
1627. The way he talks, he acts like
he knows Khrushchev personally,
Copy !req
1628. but he's never elaborated.
Copy !req
1629. I've used him as a source
in a couple of stories.
Copy !req
1630. The FBI has identified
this Alexander Fomin
Copy !req
1631. as the Soviet resident,
Copy !req
1632. um, the KGB equivalent
of one of our Station Chiefs.
Copy !req
1633. He's their highest-ranking
spy in this country,
Copy !req
1634. and he knows John's
a friend of mine.
Copy !req
1635. All the trademarks of
a back-channel overture.
Copy !req
1636. Yeah. Some back channel.
Copy !req
1637. ABC News guy, my goddamn
next-door neighbor.
Copy !req
1638. So they'll remove the missiles,
Copy !req
1639. and we'll pledge not to
invade Cuba or destabilize Castro
Copy !req
1640. or assist anyone
who plans in doing so.
Copy !req
1641. I think this may be our
first real message from Khrushchev.
Copy !req
1642. The alternative,
Mr. President, is that
Copy !req
1643. this could be a trap.
Copy !req
1644. Mm-hmm.
And how is that exactly?
Copy !req
1645. Dangle a settlement.
Copy !req
1646. Tie us down in negotiation.
We come up short.
Copy !req
1647. Why else would they
approach us this way?
Copy !req
1648. It's deniable.
Copy !req
1649. The Soviets have done
nothing but lie to us.
Copy !req
1650. This could just be
more of the same.
Copy !req
1651. That may be why Khrushchev's
introducing this guy.
Copy !req
1652. We've been burned
by his usual players
in the formal channels,
Copy !req
1653. so he brings in
an honest broker.
Copy !req
1654. That may be what
they want us to think.
Copy !req
1655. The truth is, Mr. President,
Copy !req
1656. we don't even really know
who Fomin speaks for.
Copy !req
1657. It could be Khrushchev.
Copy !req
1658. It could be some faction
of the Politburo
Copy !req
1659. or the KGB itself.
We just don't know.
Copy !req
1660. Oh, by the way, Scali,
your activities now fall under
Copy !req
1661. the secrecy codicils
of the National Security Act.
Copy !req
1662. Sorry, John. No Pulitzer.
Copy !req
1663. Mr. President,
we haven't much time.
Copy !req
1664. I'm scheduled to meet
with him again in 31/2 hours.
Copy !req
1665. So it seems
the question of the day is,
Copy !req
1666. is the offer legitimate?
Copy !req
1667. And if it is...
Copy !req
1668. Well, if it is,
we can't afford to ignore it.
Copy !req
1669. So, John...
Copy !req
1670. We'll have instructions
for you
Copy !req
1671. in a couple of hours.
Copy !req
1672. Thank you.
Copy !req
1673. Thank you, John.
Copy !req
1674. Sir, we don't have much time to
play out back-channel communiqués.
Copy !req
1675. Kenny.
Copy !req
1676. I need you to get over
to your old stomping grounds
Copy !req
1677. and go through everything
the FBI has on Fomin,
Copy !req
1678. And I need your best call—
Is the guy legit,
Copy !req
1679. and is he speaking
for Khrushchev?
Copy !req
1680. OK, so what we got here is
this guy Alexander Feklisov,
aka Alexander Fomin,
Copy !req
1681. declared Counsel
to the Soviet Embassy,
Copy !req
1682. but in reality
the KGB Papa spy.
Copy !req
1683. An illustrious tour of duty
during the Great Patriotic War
Copy !req
1684. gets him
on the Party fast track.
Copy !req
1685. Various tours of duty in KGB.
Copy !req
1686. American postings.
He's an expert on us,
Copy !req
1687. and that is all that
we got on Papa spy.
Copy !req
1688. How do you become the KGB
top spy in the United States?
Copy !req
1689. You gotta know someone.
Copy !req
1690. You gotta know someone.
Copy !req
1691. So, politics is politics.
Copy !req
1692. Walter, get me
Khrushchev's files.
Copy !req
1693. Pass me that.
Copy !req
1694. I want to see their career
chronology side by side.
Copy !req
1695. - We know they're not related, right?
- Right.
Copy !req
1696. They're not from
the same hometown.
Copy !req
1697. They went
to different schools.
Copy !req
1698. Right.
Copy !req
1699. So if they were gonna meet,
Copy !req
1700. they should have met here.
Copy !req
1701. I think they could have met.
Copy !req
1702. They couldn't have.
Copy !req
1703. He was an engineer stationed
outside of Moscow
at the end of '41.
Copy !req
1704. That's it.
Copy !req
1705. They know each other.
They're war buddies.
Copy !req
1706. That's pretty thin, Kenny.
Copy !req
1707. Well, real life
usually is, Walter.
Copy !req
1708. They know each other, Jack.
Copy !req
1709. Khrushchev and Fomin
were war buddies.
Copy !req
1710. You sure?
Copy !req
1711. Don't take it to court,
but we've got
Copy !req
1712. good circumstantial evidence.
Copy !req
1713. Well, you're there. I mean,
what's your instinct?
I gotta move on this.
Copy !req
1714. My gut's telling me
that Khrushchev's turning
Copy !req
1715. to a trusted old friend
to carry his message.
Copy !req
1716. OK. We're going.
Copy !req
1717. I've been instructed
to tell you
Copy !req
1718. that the American Government
would respond favorably
Copy !req
1719. to an offer along the lines
that you have discussed.
Copy !req
1720. If such a solution were raised
at the U.N. By Ambassador Zorin,
Copy !req
1721. he would find a favorable reply
from Ambassador Stevenson.
Copy !req
1722. So, I understand you correctly.
Copy !req
1723. If the missiles in Cuba
were dismantled,
Copy !req
1724. returned to the Soviet Union
Copy !req
1725. and a guarantee was made
not to reintroduce them,
Copy !req
1726. the United States
would be prepared
Copy !req
1727. to guarantee that
it would never invade Cuba?
Copy !req
1728. That is correct.
Copy !req
1729. And this is from
the Highest Authority?
Copy !req
1730. Yes, the Highest Authority.
Copy !req
1731. There are 2 conditions.
Copy !req
1732. The U.N. Must be allowed to inspect
the removal of the missiles.
Copy !req
1733. Of course, the U.N.
Must also be allowed
Copy !req
1734. to observe the redeployment
Copy !req
1735. of forces from
the American Southeast.
Copy !req
1736. I can't speak to that.
Copy !req
1737. What's the second
condition, John?
Copy !req
1738. Time is of the essence.
Copy !req
1739. How much time?
Copy !req
1740. 48 hours.
Copy !req
1741. In 48 hours,
there can be no deals.
Copy !req
1742. Hoo hoo.
Copy !req
1743. I'll see what I can do.
Copy !req
1744. I think it's very difficult to
make a decision from this document.
Copy !req
1745. Well, it looks to me like
Fomin's overture was genuine.
Copy !req
1746. That's a big "if," Bobby.
Copy !req
1747. It's 10 pages
of sentimental fluff,
Copy !req
1748. but he's saying it right here.
Copy !req
1749. He'll remove the missiles
Copy !req
1750. in return for
a no-invasion pledge.
Copy !req
1751. Mm-hmm. Mr. President,
our early analysis says
Copy !req
1752. this probably was written
by Khrushchev himself.
Copy !req
1753. It's a first draft.
It shows no signs
Copy !req
1754. of being polished
by the Foreign Ministry.
Copy !req
1755. In fact, it probably wasn't
even approved by the Politburo
Copy !req
1756. as they wouldn't let
the emotionalism go by.
Copy !req
1757. The analysts say it
was written by someone
Copy !req
1758. under considerable stress.
Copy !req
1759. Glad to know we're not alone.
Copy !req
1760. Well, it never was my intention
to invade Cuba anyway...
Copy !req
1761. Until they put
the missiles in there.
Copy !req
1762. Gentlemen, I think
Copy !req
1763. we should
seriously consider this deal.
Copy !req
1764. - Hi.
- Hi.
Copy !req
1765. You look old, O'Donnell.
Copy !req
1766. You don't.
Copy !req
1767. It's 2:30 in the morning.
Copy !req
1768. You flirting with me?
Copy !req
1769. We got a back-channel communication
from Khrushchev this evening,
Copy !req
1770. feeling us out about a deal.
Copy !req
1771. He confirmed it
Copy !req
1772. just a little while ago
in a letter.
Copy !req
1773. Thank God.
Copy !req
1774. Jack kicked us out of
his house for the night.
Copy !req
1775. Darn it.
Copy !req
1776. For a second there,
I thought you'd been fired.
Copy !req
1777. No such luck.
Copy !req
1778. You know,
I'm driving home...
Copy !req
1779. there was something
I wanted to tell you.
Copy !req
1780. Finish that thought.
Copy !req
1781. Yes?
Copy !req
1782. Kenny, it's Bob. We're getting
another letter over the teletype
Copy !req
1783. from Khrushchev.
I have a bad feeling.
Copy !req
1784. Ok, I'll be right there.
Copy !req
1785. You're beautiful.
Copy !req
1786. It looks like Fomin
was a ploy after all,
Copy !req
1787. and they were just
stalling for time.
Copy !req
1788. It gets worse.
Copy !req
1789. Gentlemen,
my specialists are in agreement.
Copy !req
1790. This morning's letter
is not Khrushchev.
Copy !req
1791. Last night's letter was.
Copy !req
1792. The evidence supports
only one conclusion.
Copy !req
1793. There's been a coup, and
Khrushchev was replaced overnight.
Copy !req
1794. Dean?
Copy !req
1795. At the very least,
it does suggest
Copy !req
1796. he's been co-opted
by hard-line elements.
Copy !req
1797. Which at the end of the day,
amounts to the same thing.
Copy !req
1798. A puppet Khrushchev
Copy !req
1799. and a hard-line Soviet Government
pulling the strings.
Copy !req
1800. No deal, and the missiles
are almost operational.
Copy !req
1801. What if the Soviets
have no intention of
honoring this second deal?
Copy !req
1802. Then tomorrow,
they make another condition.
Copy !req
1803. Meanwhile,
the quarantine isn't working,
Copy !req
1804. and they're completing work
on the missile sites.
Copy !req
1805. Sir, I think we have to issue
pre-invasion orders for our forces.
Copy !req
1806. Mr. President,
Copy !req
1807. this morning's
photography is in.
Copy !req
1808. It appears the Soviets
have commenced
Copy !req
1809. a crash program
to ready their missiles.
Copy !req
1810. The first missiles became
operational last night.
Copy !req
1811. We expect they'll all
be operational in 36 hours.
Copy !req
1812. Then we're out of time.
We have to go in.
Copy !req
1813. That may not be as easy
as we thought, either.
Copy !req
1814. We have gotten confirmation
Copy !req
1815. the Soviets
have also deployed
Copy !req
1816. battlefield
nuclear weapons to Cuba.
Copy !req
1817. FROGs, we call 'em.
Short-range tactical nukes.
Copy !req
1818. Now, we don't know
whether they've delegated
Copy !req
1819. release authority
to their local commanders
Copy !req
1820. for use on
our invasion troops,
Copy !req
1821. but the good news is,
Copy !req
1822. as of this moment,
we know where the FROGs are,
Copy !req
1823. and we can target them, too.
Copy !req
1824. But the longer we wait,
Copy !req
1825. the harder it's going to get.
Copy !req
1826. We have no choice.
Copy !req
1827. General,
issue orders to our forces
Copy !req
1828. to be prepared to execute
the air strikes Monday morning.
Copy !req
1829. And the follow-on invasion
Copy !req
1830. according to
the schedule thereafter.
Copy !req
1831. I'll need
the official release orders
on my desk on Sunday night.
Copy !req
1832. Understood, sir.
Copy !req
1833. We'll need to step up
our overflights,
Copy !req
1834. finalize our pilots'
target folders
Copy !req
1835. in order to carry out
the strikes.
Copy !req
1836. - Permission granted.
- Yes, sir.
Copy !req
1837. Well, gentlemen,
Copy !req
1838. if anybody's got
any great ideas, now's the time.
Copy !req
1839. Major Anderson, there's
a phone call for you.
Copy !req
1840. Thank you.
Copy !req
1841. All right. Give me
just a second here, guys.
Copy !req
1842. This is Major Anderson.
Copy !req
1843. Hello?
Copy !req
1844. Hello, anyone there?
Copy !req
1845. - Major?
- Yes, sir?
Copy !req
1846. My name is Kenneth O'Donnell,
Special Assistant to the President.
Copy !req
1847. Major, a few days ago,
the President ordered me
Copy !req
1848. to help him keep control
Copy !req
1849. of what's going on out there.
Copy !req
1850. I've been—I've been
browbeating pilots,
Copy !req
1851. you know, Navy guys
left and right
Copy !req
1852. to make sure you don't get us
here in Washington into trouble.
Copy !req
1853. But you know what?
Copy !req
1854. We're pretty damn good ourselves
at getting into trouble,
Copy !req
1855. so instead of
riding your ass,
Copy !req
1856. I'm just gonna tell you
what's going on here
and let you figure out
Copy !req
1857. how best to help us out up here.
Copy !req
1858. Go ahead, sir.
Copy !req
1859. Last night, it, uh...
Copy !req
1860. Iooked like we were
going to cut a deal to
get us all out of this mess.
Copy !req
1861. Today, the Soviets
are reneging.
Copy !req
1862. We're gonna try and
salvage the situation, but
Copy !req
1863. a lot of things
are going wrong today.
Copy !req
1864. It's making everyone nervous.
Copy !req
1865. And when things go wrong,
Copy !req
1866. people will become
more nervous,
Copy !req
1867. and it will be very hard
to avoid going to war.
Copy !req
1868. I'm not sure what you're
tying to tell me, sir.
Copy !req
1869. Just my standard line
Copy !req
1870. I've been repeating
to guys like you all week.
Copy !req
1871. Don't get shot down.
Copy !req
1872. Beyond that, whatever else
you can do to help us
I'd appreciate it.
Copy !req
1873. Sir...
Copy !req
1874. When you're at 72,000 feet,
Copy !req
1875. there's a million things
that can go wrong. I mean,
Copy !req
1876. Is your oxygen mix right?
Are your cameras gonna freeze up?
Copy !req
1877. Are you leaving a contrail?
Those million things,
Copy !req
1878. they're beyond
your control mostly.
Copy !req
1879. But...
Copy !req
1880. You know,
when you realize that,
Copy !req
1881. there's a kind of peace,
you know?
Copy !req
1882. If you're a good man and
if your ground crew are good men,
Copy !req
1883. that is all you can ask for.
Copy !req
1884. With the grace of God,
that'll get you through.
Copy !req
1885. Are you a religious man?
Copy !req
1886. Yes, sir, I am.
Copy !req
1887. Good.
Copy !req
1888. The plane is missing, Kenny.
Copy !req
1889. We are presuming
the pilot is dead.
Copy !req
1890. Well, it's hard to believe,
Copy !req
1891. with the Soviet centralized
command structure,
Copy !req
1892. that this could've been
an accidental launch.
Copy !req
1893. The question is, does
this attack on our plane
Copy !req
1894. represent a definitive
intentional escalation
Copy !req
1895. on the part of the Soviets?
Copy !req
1896. Mr. President,
Copy !req
1897. taken with the events
of the past few hours,
Copy !req
1898. I believe this confirms
our worst fears.
Copy !req
1899. We're now dealing with
a hard-line Soviet Government,
Copy !req
1900. Perhaps with Khrushchev
as a puppet head, perhaps not.
We don't know.
Copy !req
1901. You OK?
Copy !req
1902. Yeah.
Copy !req
1903. I'm fine.
Copy !req
1904. Mr. President...
Copy !req
1905. What now?
Copy !req
1906. A U-2 on a routine
air-sampling mission
Copy !req
1907. got lost and penetrated
Soviet airspace over Siberia.
Copy !req
1908. Oh, God damn it!
Copy !req
1909. Soviets scrambled MIGs in pursuit,
thinking it was a bomber.
Copy !req
1910. Got out OK.
Copy !req
1911. Somebody forgot
to cancel the mission.
Copy !req
1912. You know, there's always
some son of a bitch who
doesn't get the word.
Copy !req
1913. You know, this is
just what we need.
Copy !req
1914. Soviets thinking
we're bombing them.
Copy !req
1915. Anybody else?
Copy !req
1916. Mr. President,
Copy !req
1917. our pilots are in danger.
Copy !req
1918. We must order punitive air strikes
against the SAM site
Copy !req
1919. that shot down Major Anderson
Copy !req
1920. per our rules of engagement.
Copy !req
1921. No.
Copy !req
1922. I want confirmation it wasn't
some sort of accident first.
Copy !req
1923. Mr. President.
Copy !req
1924. I think that's
a good idea, Mr. President.
Copy !req
1925. I can wait a day and a half.
Copy !req
1926. Be safer for my boys to
get the SAMs on Monday
Copy !req
1927. when we get the rest
of the bastards.
Copy !req
1928. Hut... hut!
Copy !req
1929. Yeah, yeah.
Copy !req
1930. Break!
Copy !req
1931. That's the quarter.
Copy !req
1932. - Hey, Dad.
- Hey, Sport.
Copy !req
1933. - You winning?
- Yeah.
Copy !req
1934. Is everything
gonna be OK, Dad?
Copy !req
1935. Everything's gonna
be fine, Kenny.
Copy !req
1936. I guess you won't
be coming home tonight.
Copy !req
1937. I, uh...
Copy !req
1938. I—
Copy !req
1939. Let's go!
Second quarter!
Copy !req
1940. It's OK. Go on back
to your game.
Copy !req
1941. All right.
I'll see you around, Dad.
Copy !req
1942. First down!
Copy !req
1943. Break!
Copy !req
1944. Damn it!
Copy !req
1945. Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Copy !req
1946. Take off for 2 hours,
you're gonna miss a little drama.
Copy !req
1947. I told you how stupid it was
to float that Lippmann article.
Copy !req
1948. Now you're gonna
do it for real?
Copy !req
1949. The Jupiters
are obsolete, Kenny.
Copy !req
1950. They were supposed
to have been dismantled—
Copy !req
1951. I know they're obsolete!
That's not the point.
Copy !req
1952. The point is, you trade
our missiles in Turkey
for theirs in Cuba,
Copy !req
1953. they're gonna force us
into trade after trade,
Copy !req
1954. until finally,
a couple of months from now,
Copy !req
1955. they demand something
we won't trade, like Berlin,
Copy !req
1956. and we do end up in a war.
Copy !req
1957. Not to mention that
long before that happens,
Copy !req
1958. this administration
will be politically dead.
Copy !req
1959. I don't care
if this administration
Copy !req
1960. ends up in the freaking toilet!
Copy !req
1961. We don't do a deal tonight,
there won't be any administration.
Copy !req
1962. It's the wrong move, Bobby,
Copy !req
1963. and it's not just me
who thinks that.
Copy !req
1964. Everyone on this
so-called EXCOM is telling
you exactly the same thing.
Copy !req
1965. Well, whose side
are you on now, Ken?
Copy !req
1966. Oh... God damn it.
Copy !req
1967. What if there hasn't
been a coup at all?
Copy !req
1968. What if it's you two?
Copy !req
1969. - What is that supposed to mean?
- What if it was you two
Copy !req
1970. who invited that second letter
by raising the possibility
of a trade?
Copy !req
1971. Mr. President, we have
only 30 hours left,
Copy !req
1972. and whatever response we send,
Copy !req
1973. it will take several
hours for the wire
Copy !req
1974. to be received by our Embassy
and delivered to the Kremlin.
Copy !req
1975. So we're looking at
early tomorrow morning
Copy !req
1976. at the earliest before
Khrushchev can respond.
Copy !req
1977. Which one of you geniuses
Copy !req
1978. is gonna tell me
how to explain it to the world
Copy !req
1979. if we don't make this trade?
Copy !req
1980. So, what are we gonna
say to the Soviets
Copy !req
1981. about this offer?
Copy !req
1982. Well, it depends,
doesn't it? I mean,
Copy !req
1983. Do we really believe
there's been a coup?
Copy !req
1984. What if Fomin wasn't a ploy?
Copy !req
1985. What if his message was real?
Copy !req
1986. What if what is happening
is a series of accidents?
Copy !req
1987. Accidents like them
shooting down our U-2?
Copy !req
1988. Yes, accidents like that.
Copy !req
1989. And the accident's
making the second letter
seem more aggressive
Copy !req
1990. and the whole situation
appear worse than it really is.
Copy !req
1991. - "The Guns of August".
- That's right.
Copy !req
1992. So we just reject
the second letter?
Copy !req
1993. No. No, no.
Copy !req
1994. We don't reject it.
Copy !req
1995. We accept the first letter
Copy !req
1996. and pretend the second
letter doesn't exist.
Copy !req
1997. It won't work because
that's wishful thinking!
Copy !req
1998. He made an offer, so I—
Copy !req
1999. That's the same
wishful thinking, Bobby,
Copy !req
2000. that blinded us
all these months
Copy !req
2001. while the Soviets were sneaking
those missiles in under our noses.
Copy !req
2002. Ignore the second letter,
Copy !req
2003. agree to the conditions
of the first.
Copy !req
2004. There's no reason to believe
the Soviets will let it go.
Copy !req
2005. Max is right.
Why will they accept it?
Copy !req
2006. It can work if—
Copy !req
2007. If they believe
we're gonna hit 'em,
Copy !req
2008. and hit 'em hard.
We've got time
Copy !req
2009. for one more round
of diplomacy, and that's it.
Copy !req
2010. The first air strikes
start in 28 hours.
Copy !req
2011. But we have to make
them agree to it.
Copy !req
2012. Right. So how do we do that?
Copy !req
2013. Well, we give them something.
Copy !req
2014. We tell 'em we're gonna remove
the missiles from Turkey—
Copy !req
2015. Hang on!
Copy !req
2016. But we do that
6 months from now,
Copy !req
2017. so it appears
there's no linkage.
Copy !req
2018. We also tell 'em if they go
public about it, we'll deny it.
Copy !req
2019. Right. We deny it.
The deal's off.
Copy !req
2020. And we do it under the table,
so we can disavow
any knowledge of it.
Copy !req
2021. It's transparent, Kenny.
The press'll be all over it.
Copy !req
2022. 6 months from now, we're
not gonna care, are we?
Copy !req
2023. We'll deal with it then.
Copy !req
2024. At the least, it'll expose whether
Khrushchev has been overthrown.
Copy !req
2025. We'll know who
we're up against.
Copy !req
2026. Well, I've been thinking
about Khrushchev,
Copy !req
2027. and if this is
a move to appease
Copy !req
2028. the hard-liners
in his Government,
Copy !req
2029. then it may be
just the bone he needs
Copy !req
2030. to regain control
of his own house.
Copy !req
2031. Whoever carries the message
has to hit the nail on the head.
Copy !req
2032. Come across as too soft,
they'll push us.
Copy !req
2033. Too hard, they'll be cornered,
and even more dangerous.
Copy !req
2034. All of you—
Copy !req
2035. All of you do understand
Copy !req
2036. that there is an enormous risk
in offering this deal.
Copy !req
2037. Because if they turn us down,
and we've already told them
Copy !req
2038. that we're coming in
on Monday morning...
Copy !req
2039. - They'll strike first.
- Yes.
Copy !req
2040. Bobby.
Copy !req
2041. You know Dobrynin best.
Copy !req
2042. Yeah.
Copy !req
2043. Then you're it.
Copy !req
2044. Ted, I want you to
start working on the draft.
Copy !req
2045. And, Bobby, you gotta go in there.
You gotta make them understand
Copy !req
2046. that we have to have
an answer tomorrow,
Copy !req
2047. because Monday we go to war.
Copy !req
2048. What do you want?
A good-bye kiss?
Copy !req
2049. Hey, Joe, listen.
I'll take care of him.
Copy !req
2050. Go on inside. Grab some coffee.
We'll be back pretty quick.
Copy !req
2051. - Are you sure?
- Sure.
Copy !req
2052. What's the matter with you?
Copy !req
2053. Forget how to open
a car door?
Copy !req
2054. Jesus.
Copy !req
2055. You rich people.
Copy !req
2056. I promised the girls
I'd take them riding tomorrow.
Copy !req
2057. Make sure
you keep that date.
Copy !req
2058. We gave up so much to get here.
Copy !req
2059. I don't know. Sometimes I think,
what the hell did we do it for?
Copy !req
2060. Well, I don't know
about you, but
Copy !req
2061. I'm in it for the money.
Copy !req
2062. We knew we could do
a better job than everyone else.
Copy !req
2063. Remember?
Copy !req
2064. You know, I...
Copy !req
2065. I—I hate being called
the brilliant one,
Copy !req
2066. the ruthless one...
Copy !req
2067. The guy everybody's afraid of.
Copy !req
2068. I hate it.
Copy !req
2069. I'm not so smart, you know?
Copy !req
2070. I'm not so ruthless.
Copy !req
2071. Well, you're right
about the smart part.
Copy !req
2072. I don't know if I can do this.
Copy !req
2073. There's nobody else
I'd rather have going in there
Copy !req
2074. than you—
Copy !req
2075. Nobody else
I'd trust Helen and...
Copy !req
2076. the kids' lives to.
Copy !req
2077. Take a left.
Copy !req
2078. You smell that?
Copy !req
2079. They're burning
their documents.
Copy !req
2080. They think we're going to war.
Copy !req
2081. God help us, Ken.
Copy !req
2082. Sir, Ambassador Dobrynin
is already here.
He's waiting in your office.
Copy !req
2083. Here.
Copy !req
2084. I'll whistle up
some luck for you.
Copy !req
2085. Mr. Ambassador. Thank you.
Copy !req
2086. Who are you?
Copy !req
2087. A friend.
Copy !req
2088. My brother, my friends,
my countrymen, and I
Copy !req
2089. cannot and will not permit
Copy !req
2090. those missiles
to become operational.
Copy !req
2091. I promise you that.
Copy !req
2092. Then I fear our 2 nations
will go to war...
Copy !req
2093. And I fear
where war will lead us.
Copy !req
2094. If the missiles do not
become operational,
Copy !req
2095. if you remove the missiles,
Copy !req
2096. then there will be no war.
Copy !req
2097. At this moment, the President
is accepting the terms
Copy !req
2098. of Secretary Khrushchev's
letter of Friday night.
Copy !req
2099. If the Soviet Union
halts construction immediately,
Copy !req
2100. removes the missiles,
and submits to U.N. Inspection,
Copy !req
2101. the United States will pledge
Copy !req
2102. to never invade Cuba or
aid others in that enterprise.
Copy !req
2103. If your Jupiter missiles in Turkey
were removed also,
Copy !req
2104. such an accommodation
could be reached.
Copy !req
2105. That's not possible.
Copy !req
2106. The United States cannot
agree to such terms under threat.
Copy !req
2107. Any belief to the contrary
was in error.
Copy !req
2108. You want war?
Copy !req
2109. However...
Copy !req
2110. While there can be
no quid pro quo on this issue,
Copy !req
2111. the United States can offer
a private assurance.
Copy !req
2112. Now, our Jupiter missiles
in Turkey are obsolete
Copy !req
2113. and have been scheduled
for withdrawal for some time.
Copy !req
2114. This withdrawal should take place
within, say, 6 months.
Copy !req
2115. Of course,
any public disclosure
Copy !req
2116. of this assurance
would negate the deal
Copy !req
2117. and produce the most stringent
denials from our Government.
Copy !req
2118. This private assurance
Copy !req
2119. represents the word
of the Highest Authority?
Copy !req
2120. Yes.
Copy !req
2121. And it can be relayed beyond
Comrade Khrushchev's ears
Copy !req
2122. to the top circles
of my Government?
Copy !req
2123. Our pledge can be relayed
to any Government officials
Copy !req
2124. Secretary Khrushchev
sees fit to satisfy,
Copy !req
2125. with the caveat that
it is not to be made public
Copy !req
2126. in any way, shape, or form.
Copy !req
2127. And we must have
an answer tomorrow,
Copy !req
2128. at the latest.
Copy !req
2129. I cannot stress
this point enough.
Copy !req
2130. Tomorrow?
Copy !req
2131. Tomorrow.
Copy !req
2132. Then you must excuse me
and permit me to relay
Copy !req
2133. the substance of our discussion
to my superiors.
Copy !req
2134. Of course.
Copy !req
2135. We have heard stories that
some of your military men
wish for war.
Copy !req
2136. You're a good man.
Copy !req
2137. Your brother is a good man.
Copy !req
2138. I assure you
there are other good men.
Copy !req
2139. Let us hope
the will of good men
Copy !req
2140. is enough to counter
the terrible strength
Copy !req
2141. of this thing
that was put in motion.
Copy !req
2142. What's going to happen?
Copy !req
2143. If the sun comes up tomorrow,
Copy !req
2144. it is only because
of men of good will.
Copy !req
2145. And that's...
Copy !req
2146. That's all there is
between us and the Devil.
Copy !req
2147. This is Radio Moscow.
Copy !req
2148. Premier Khrushchev
has sent a message
Copy !req
2149. to President Kennedy today.
Copy !req
2150. The Soviet Prime Minister
reemphasizes
Copy !req
2151. the need for urgent measures
to prevent a fatal turn of events
Copy !req
2152. and to preserve world peace.
Copy !req
2153. In addition to instructions
earlier transmitted
Copy !req
2154. to stop construction work
on installations in Cuba,
Copy !req
2155. the Soviet Government
has ordered
Copy !req
2156. the dismantling
of weapons in Cuba,
Copy !req
2157. as well as their crating
Copy !req
2158. and return to the Soviet Union.
Copy !req
2159. Is everybody ready for church?
Copy !req
2160. It's a beautiful morning.
Copy !req
2161. Pass the butter up to Dad.
Copy !req
2162. Dad, you want your paper?
Copy !req
2163. Dad, what's wrong?
Copy !req
2164. The sun came up.
Copy !req
2165. Every day the sun comes up
says something about us.
Copy !req
2166. What does it say, Dad?
Copy !req
2167. What's wrong with Daddy?
Copy !req
2168. This is the foreign policy trophy
we were hoping for.
Copy !req
2169. Mr. President, sir.
Copy !req
2170. Mr. President, great job.
Copy !req
2171. Hold it, hold it.
Copy !req
2172. Well, Mr. President,
Copy !req
2173. I think I can speak
for everyone here
Copy !req
2174. when I say,
"Bring on those mid-terms,
Copy !req
2175. there's no stopping us now."
Copy !req
2176. - 4 more years.
- All right.
Copy !req
2177. You know, it's been
a long 2 weeks, and...
Copy !req
2178. or whatever, but...
Copy !req
2179. I'd like to thank you all.
I think you all did a great job,
Copy !req
2180. and I just think...
Copy !req
2181. I don't think we should be
gloating too much.
Copy !req
2182. It was...
Copy !req
2183. just as much a victory
for them as it was for us.
Copy !req
2184. Hear, hear.
Copy !req
2185. Enjoy your morning.
Copy !req
2186. Thank you, Mr. President.
Copy !req
2187. Get some rest, Mr. President.
Copy !req
2188. We've got a lot
of new clout right now,
Copy !req
2189. and we can run the table
on Khrushchev,
Copy !req
2190. the Middle East,
and Southeast Asia.
Copy !req
2191. Right. You're right.
Copy !req
2192. Dear Mr. And Mrs. Anderson,
Copy !req
2193. I was deeply shocked
when advised your son was lost
Copy !req
2194. in an operational mission
on Saturday,
Copy !req
2195. October 27, 1962.
Copy !req
2196. Your son rendered distinguished
Copy !req
2197. and dedicated service
to his country
Copy !req
2198. throughout his career.
Copy !req
2199. He was admired...
Copy !req
2200. and respected
Copy !req
2201. for his courage,
Copy !req
2202. and his professional skill
by all with whom he served.
Copy !req
2203. His tragic loss
will be deeply felt...
Copy !req
2204. and a grateful nation
will be forever in his debt.
Copy !req
2205. Ken, we're out here.
Copy !req
2206. What kind of a peace
do we seek?
Copy !req
2207. I am talking about
genuine peace—
Copy !req
2208. The kind of peace that makes
life on earth worth living—
Copy !req
2209. Not merely peace in our time,
Copy !req
2210. but peace in all time.
Copy !req
2211. Our problems are man-made,
Copy !req
2212. therefore,
they can be solved by man.
Copy !req
2213. For in the final analysis,
Copy !req
2214. our most basic common link
Copy !req
2215. is that we all inhabit
Copy !req
2216. this small planet.
Copy !req
2217. We all breathe the same air.
Copy !req
2218. We all cherish
our children's future,
Copy !req
2219. and we are all mortal.
Copy !req