Maj. Richard Heyser had been sitting 14 miles above the Earth for 5 hours. Soaring at the edge of space, he flew from northern California, monitoring the skies for any signs of potential threats. Suddenly, his instruments detected a series of unidentified objects moving rapidly towards the United States.
As the news spread, the Joint Chiefs of Staff convened an emergency meeting to assess the situation. It was quickly determined that the objects were Soviet-era missiles, launched by an unknown entity. The gravity of the situation was evident, and immediate action was required to protect the nation from this imminent threat.
It comes as South Korea reportedly identified a device fired by North Korea last week as a Soviet-era missile. The implications of such a discovery sent shockwaves through the corridors of power in Washington, D.C. The Joint Chiefs knew that they had to act swiftly and decisively to prevent a potential catastrophe.
Israel's attack on Iran's embassy in Damascus, and Iran's response, reveal Netanyahu's mounting strategic weaknesses, but its leaders may have inadvertently triggered a chain reaction that led to the discovery of these missiles. The geopolitical landscape was shifting rapidly, and the United States found itself at the center of a dangerous game of brinkmanship.
William Burr and Leopoldo Nuti examine the Kennedy Administration's efforts to remove Jupiter missiles from Turkey and Italy, part of a delicate negotiation with the Soviet Union. The lessons learned from the Cuban Missile Crisis were still fresh in the minds of the Joint Chiefs, who understood the importance of diplomacy in resolving such high-stakes situations.
October 27: The Most Dangerous Day. Joint Chiefs: “The president has a feeling that time is running out”. A cascade of human errors, miscommunications, and miscalculations threatened to push the world to the brink of nuclear war. The Joint Chiefs were acutely aware of the risks involved and the need for precise and coordinated action.
Fall 2002, Vol. 34, No. 3 Kennedy Library Observes Fortieth Anniversary of Missile Crisis In a televised address on October 22, 1962, President Kennedy... The legacy of the Cuban Missile Crisis loomed large over the Joint Chiefs as they grappled with the discovery of these new threats. The specter of nuclear annihilation was a constant reminder of the stakes involved.
April 2022. By William Burr and Jeffrey Kimball. Implicit or explicit nuclear threats have been the default position of states possessing nuclear weapons... The specter of nuclear war loomed large over the deliberations of the Joint Chiefs. The need for de-escalation and strategic maneuvering was paramount in order to avoid a catastrophic outcome.
China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran's continued investment in modernizing cruise, ballistic, and hypersonic missiles has left the United... The arms race was heating up, and the Joint Chiefs were acutely aware of the need to stay ahead of the curve. The defense of the nation depended on their ability to anticipate and counter emerging threats.
Susan B. Glasser and Peter Baker write about how Mark Milley and others in the Pentagon handled the national-security threat posed by their... The leadership of the Joint Chiefs was put to the test as they grappled with the discovery of the missiles. Their decisions would have far-reaching consequences for the nation and the world at large.
