忘却からの帰還〜Atomic Age

Countdown to Looking Glass(1984)のTranscript

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00:01
The program you are about to see is base on a war game developed with the help of military experts and advisors
Its purpose is to inform, not to alarm.
What you will witness a series of events reported by the evening news on television.
A series of events that could lead to the brink World war three.
At this moment flying over the Unite States is a nilitary airborne command plane.
It is a communication outpost for the president and strategic air commond
It is capable of transmitting orders to US forces across the world, during the nuclear confrontation.
Its codename is Looking Glass.

DAY ONE

01:10 Don Tobin:
Good evening, I'm Don Tobin, This is CVN World News today.
A terrorist bomb in Saudi Arabia today took the life of Amarican Ambassador Gabriel Seaton and killed 4 others at the united states Embassy,
For a report on this, the latest in a series of startling development in the Middle east
We hear from Michael Boyle at the US Embassy in Jeddah.

01:37 Michael Boyle:
Bomb exploded in a pantry next to the kitchen on the ground level.
Blast tore away a whole corner of the building all the way to the roof of four storey.
Ambassador Seaton was in the third floor ofice on a same corner killed instantly.
Three other officials also died in the attack.
Ironically, security at the embassy was tightened only yesterday, in response to a wave of violence in the region triggered by America's banking crisis.
This is Michael Boyle, CVN News, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

02:10 Don Tobin:
Just a few moments ago the White House issued the following statement.
We are appalled by the senseless killing of ambassador Seaton and three members at the embassy staff.
United States calls on the government of Saudi Arabia to take unneduate action to apprehend and punish the terrorists who committed this crime.
Statement went on to offer sympathy to Ambassador Seaton's wife and two children and to the relatives and dependence of the other dead Americans.
The ambassador's death climaxes several days of turmoil in the middle east, that were ignited by the bank crisis here at home.
It's been years since Americans have lived to such an astonishing week.
Five days ago, Chile, Argentina and Brazil forming a debtors' cartel the follwing on their loans that cause the failure and collapse of three american banks.
Within 24 hours. panic and speculation throughout the country, lead to the withdrawal of more than three billion dollars, that force the White house to close the banks to put a halt to all banking transactions.
But Americans have found it har to be separate from their money in the bank crisis now in its fifth day, continues to cause eruptions of violence.
Barry McKay reports from New York

03:25 Barry McKay:
This was the scene this morning at the National Mercantile Bank.
Local depositors responding to a rumer that the bank will open again for normal business, storm the doors in a few tile attempt to be reunited with their money.
The National Mercantile was one of thtree banks that file because if the South American loan defaults.
The patient of the citizens as well as their cash is rapidly becoming exhausted.
This is Barry Mckay, CVN News Neew York.

03:55 Don Tobin:
In the highly complex arrangements in international finance, impact of the bank crisis continues to be felt throuhout the world, particularly among the oil producing countries in the Middle East.
Soviet backed guerillas topple the government of Oman after it had lost seven hundred million dollars in its national treasury, which had been invested in an American bank and now turmoil has spread to Saudi Arabia with the bombing at the embassy and th deah of our ambassador.
To help us make sense if the new political geography in the Middle east, we have senior correspondant, Eric Sevareid, in our Washington studios.
Eric, how gravely does Washington take this? What's your own view?
How far do you think you can go

04:43 Eric Sevareid:
It means something and while America ride out the bank crisis with restraint in some patience.
The reaction in the Middle East as expressed itself with guns and bombs.
As we saw with Iran-Iraq war allegiances in that area are highly volunerable.
People in official Washington are of course unhappy by thsese events, but not all that suprised.

05:03 Don Tobin:
What's your own view?
How long can that restraint and patience obtain?

05:07 Eric Sevareid:
Well it's a national policy premise that the Persian Gulf and its oil resources are vital to the western world, to our allies in Europe and Pasific.
We're not likely to back away from that policy now.
But it's a threat of civil war in Ssaudi Arabi, the biggeset, richest and closest Arab friend to the US that could mean calamity to American interest and that reach.

05:28 Don Tobin:
Eric Sevareid, Thank you.
The chairman of the Federal Reserve and the secretary of the Treaury met with the president earlier today to review the most recent development in the bank crisis.
Here's Dorian Waldorf with the latest from the White House.

05:43 Dorian Waldorf:
This afternoon, the White House issued a statement saying the administration will, and I quote, wait and see before planning to issue script tanke the place of currency during the bank shutdown.
Observers here take that as the first hit the bank holiday may not last as long as once predicted.
This follows closely on te heels at the treasury secretary statement to the press in the last hour that the world cash crises may soon be easing.
This is Dorican Waldorf, CVN News at the White House.

06:14 Don Tobin:
I've just been told that we have Nancy Dickerson at the State Department with a live report.
Nancy.

06:19 Nancy Dickerson:
Press secreatary, John Jay Bingham.

06:22 John Jay Bingham (State Dept. Spokesperson):
But we've learned from experience that hasty reaction to events still unfolding, impact on the events themslves.
The simple fact of the matter is that the Department of State continues to watch these events in the Middle East with what we used to call in the navy or "weather eye" on our interest.
Now I take questions.

06:40 Nancy Dickerson:
John! John!

06:42 John Jay Bingham:
Ms. Dickerson

06:43 Nancy Dickerson;
In the last week we've heard a leftist coup in Oman right at the Strait of Hormuz
We've heard the Amir of kuwait assasinated.

06:49 John Jay Bingham:
Nancy, is this one question or editorial?

06:51 Nancy Dickerson:
Look John, US Ambassador

06:54 (Staff1)
Stay one question and you done

06:57 (Staff2)
Right.
Adminstration some ok..
Better digging the White House.
Irene, Speak to Dorian Waldorf as soon as possible please. Thank you.

7:23 Bob Calhoun
Hi Sorry
7:25 Dorian Waldorf
I didn't have anything better to do
7:27 Bob Calhoun
Oh yeah and a lot of laughs
7:28 Dorian Waldorf
But the living essentials for drinks
7:31 Bob Calhoun
Is that right? Double black.
7:34 Dorian Waldorf
How was your day?
7:36 Bob Calhoun
Painful. I give my report to the president.
Well it's great to get me in my room
7:40 Dorian Waldorf
In this case.
I bit more beer
7:46 CVN
This is CVN night.
The body of ambassador, Gabriel Seaton, will return back to the United State this evening by military jet.
White house national security ...
7:55 Dorian Waldorf
So, is the national security adviser on this?
7:58 Bob Calhoun
National security advisor is on everything.
Sees all, knows all.
8:03 Dorian Waldorf
Tells nothing.
8:04 Bob Calhoun
Tells me everything
8:07 Dorian Waldorf
Maybe you dropped juicy tip it over dinner
8:11 Bob Calhoun
Dinner's off sorry
8:18 Dorian Waldorf
Is it the Middle East? Oman?
8:20 Bob Calhoun
Now intelligence picked up a couple of problems were banging heads trying to get a sort of.
8:33 Dorian Waldorf
What about later do you want to stop by
8:39 Bob Calhoun
Yeah sure. Try

DAY TWO

08:56 Don Tobin:
Good evening.
The defense department announcement just now released says that the United States Central Command contingent landed earlier today in Saudi Arabia
This move estimated to be the largest United States military operations since the Vietnam War, has taken much of the nation and the world by surprise.
This action the Pentagon said is a peacekeeping initiative, made in response to King Fahd's request for US help, after rebellious units have his own army occupied the sacred city of Mecca.
CVN's Michael Boyle landed with the US forces.
He filed the story earlier from an unidentified location in Saudi Arabia.
Claiming national security is the reason, the Defense Department has only now authorize the release of this report, 9 hours after the landing.

09:50 Michael Boyle:
Paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division again landing shortly after dawn.
American troops are on the Arabian Peninsula
This is very much a combined operation.
The army, the Air Force and Marines all have units here.
How many?
The answer to that question at this stage at least is claffigied.
In 1983, I watched the Grenada invasion from a boat offshore and I know this is a much larger force.
An hour or so ago, we watched the delivery of at least a dozen Lance missiles (MGM 52 Lance), and also unknown number of M110 howitzers, both weapons are nuclear capable, but no one here is saying much about that.
Early today, united states marines landed on the shores of the Red Sea, a few miles south of the city of Jeddah.
A scene reminiscent of last year showdown in Lebanon, but on a much larger scale.
As to why all this is happening. Colonel Howard Anderson gave the somewhat understated explanation.

10:48 Colonel Howard Anderson, 82nd Airborne Division:
I have a prepared statement gentlemen.
United States combat forces at the invitation of the government of Saudi Arabia will take and hold defensive positions that agreed-upon location.
The forces will assist in reestablishing public order and deter aggression against the people of Saudi Arabia.
That's it

11:06 Michael Boyle:
Supplying these troops with everything from spare parts to letters from home, it's not going to be an easy operation.
This is Michael Boyle, CVN News, Somewhere in Saudi Arabia.

11:20 Don Tobin:
For an evaluation of this extraordinary military intervention,
We have standing by Paul Warnke of former assistant secretary of defense and also the US chief negotiator on the SALT 1 treaty.
Mr. Warnke, how long is it since the world saw an American military intervention of this magnitude?

10:38 Paul Warnke, Former US negotiator Salt:
But I would say that it's really comparable to the Vietnam commitment.
But it's happening overnight so it's the major infusion of American military strength.
And we have not seen anything like it since World War II.

11:53 Don Tobin:
Well but can this be seen by the Soviet Union as anything other than a provocative act?

11:59 Paul Warnke:
It should not be seen as provocative by the Soviet Union
We've told them repeatedly during the Carter Administration.
For example that in the event of trouble in the Gulf that interfered with the flow of oil, we would commit American military forces.
We have a stake in the stability of the area.
and that preservation of stability in the area does not threaten the vital interests of the Soviet Union.

12:22 Don Tobin:
Warnke, Thank you once again.
Tonight, the United States command contingent watched over a troubled Saudi Arabia, following the White House directive to help establish public order and deter aggression.
But more importantly their guaranteeing the free flow of oil from the Saudi finance and ensuring that giant tankers will be able to make their way through the Persian Gulf unmolested.

12:58 Don Tobin:
Hi
Yeah I know I did
12 at the latest it's really been appalling around here today.
Yeah me too.
Listen, Anne. I'm preparing you.
I don't think it's going to work, going to mon he can this, weekend not for me
But don't tell the kids. I want you all there.
No I've seen it worse.
But I can't remember it being quite so crazy, not since the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Yeah me too. Let's finish this at home.

DAY THREE

13:59 Don Tobin:
The landing of US troops in Saudi Arabia yesterday has met with a storm of criticism both at home and abroad, will have reports from Washington London and West Germany.
Good evening, I'm Don Tobin. This is CVN world news today.
The official Soviet news agency TASS today characterized the American deployment of troops in Saudi Arabia as a grave act of provocation against the Saudi people and a blatantly imperialist action to prop up the corrupt puppet government of King Fahd, unquote
In contrast, the White House has been relatively quiet day, no visitors, no press announcements, no sign of the President or his staff.
But not far away, was quite a different story as during Waldorf reports.

14:45 Dorian Waldorf:
According to the standards set by the peace movement, during the Vietnam War, this was hardly a demonstration at all.
But is one of the organizers who reminded me out that we will begin small, but decade to build up steam.

15:00 (Washington Demonstrator by Seymour Horowitz)
Now they're going to tell us about dominoes and all that stuff.
But this time the American people aren't going to buy it
I lost son lebanon
It has been anybody that has been able to tell me what he died for

15:13 Dorian Waldorf:
This is Dorian Waldorf, CVN News Washington

15:17 Don Tobin:
Or look at reaction outside the country.
From American allies, we go to Gordon Scott in London.

15:23 Gordon Scott (CVN UK from Trafalgar Square)
The size of the crowd surprised even the organizer with these campaign for nuclear disarmament.
In contrast to many demonstrations over the years in this venerable square, the mood today was grim, grave, sober.
Statements made today are anything to go on the Americans, who have traditionally thought of the English as their strongest ally, will have to look elsewhere for the support they seek their recent activities in the Middle East.
This is Gordon Scott, CVN News London.

15:54 Don Tobin:
Reaction of the Russians as a question that's been on everyone's mind.
Standing by in Washington we have CVN News senior correspondent Eric Sevareid and Georgia congressman Newt Gingrich.
First congressman Gingrich.
There's been a lot of controversy congressman as to whether the rapid deployment force was an appropriate response to this turmoil in the Middle East
What's your view?

16:17 Newt Gingrich (本人):
Don, this is the biggest crisis to face the Western alliance since either the Bay of Pigs or the blockade of Berlin.
We see radical government's taking over the Middle East.
We see a threat to the very life line for Japan and Western Europe.
We have our friends people who have been with us asking for our help.
And I think that we in America have to make the decision.
We're going to remain a world power for them to hold together the Western alliance.
We have to be capable of staying in places that are in trouble, in order to preserve that Alliance when it's under pressure.

16:50 Don Tobin:
Well isn't it, isn't it risky though couldn't be seen by the Soviet Union as a provocative act?

16:56 Newt Gingrich:
From the Soviet standpoint, they would love to have the oil fields.
There is a two or three hundred year history of the Russians back through the Czar's trying to seize this part of the world
For two centuries the British stop them.
We are now in the unenviable but real position that it's either the Americans, they're protecting freedom and helping the Western Europeans and the Japanese and keeping the free world live, or in fact the Soviets will take the fields

17:20 Don Tobin:
Congressman Gingrich, thanks very much.
We go now to CVN News senior correspondent Eric Sevareid.
Do you think that the Russians are going to be tempted by this reduction of NATO forces in Western Europe?

17:30 Eric Sevareid:
Don, in my own opinion, no.
Not in Europe for the simple reason of any move on their part would bring a solidly back into the creek.

17:40 Don Tobin:
Well do you think that the Kremlin feels its hand is being forced by these events?

17:44 Eric Sevareid:
Who knows?
But the ante has been upped and now it's their turn

17:47 Don Tobin:
Eric Sevareid, thank you.
Meanwhile far from the growing debate over this nation's course, American soldiers keep the vigil in a distant desert, and no doubt wonder where it all well.
And this has been CVN world news today
I'm Don Tobin
Thank you for joining us.

DAY FOUR

18:10 Don Tobin:
Good evening, I'm Don Tobin.
The Persian Gulf is the center of turmoil again today, as the Soviet-backed government of Oman has imposed a toll on all oil ships entering the Strait of Hormuz.
This toll has effectively created in the economic blockade with giant oil tankers waiting at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, uncertain what to do next.
Michael Boyle has a report

18:39 Michael Boyle:
Those empty tankers out there are waiting to pay ten thousand dollars a piece for the privilege of passing through the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf.
Oman's new governing council announced the toll midnight last night.
Omani patrol boats have been out all day intercepting tankers and escorting them here.
Western diplomats are already calling the toll a Soviet engineered retaliation against the United States for sending troops into Saudi Arabia.

19:09 Don Tobin:
Reaction in Washington was swift and harsh language that we call the darkest days of the American-Soviet relationship.
The administration accused the soviet union of interfering with the right of free passage of ships entering the Persian Gulf.
Nancy Dickerson has a report from the State Department

19:27 Nancy Dickerson:
Soviet ambassador refused to comment on a letter given to him by Dean Glay, assistant secretary for Eastern European affairs.
The letter, signed by the secretary of state, flatly declares that the United States will not tolerate any limitations on the right of ships smoothly to enter and leave the Persian Gulf.
The letter leaves unanswered.
Gut issue, what is the administration prepared to do to back up its tough language.
Two things are certain.
One is that the administration is holding, Russia directly responsible for actions taken by the new government in Oman.
The other is that Soviet-American relations are bad and getting worse by the moment.

20:12 Don Tobin:
If the Soviets were tongue-tied in Washington, they made up for it in Moscow with a series of sharply worded denials and attacks
Barbara Levin has this report.

20:26 Barbara Levin (from Red Square)
The Soviet Union officially denied today that it's behind the tanker toll in the Persian Gulf.
This series of speeches at the Presidium, the Soviets accused the United States of upsetting the balance in the region, by what it called America's incursion into Saudi Arabia
Analysts here see the reference as the offer of a trade.
Get your forces out of Saudi Arabia and Oman will lift the toll.
This is Barbara Levin, CVN News Moscow.


20:53 Don Tobin:
Whether the United States government will consider this Soviet statement to be an offer to trade, is an interesting question.
For analysis, we go to our former ambassador to NATO Robert Ellsworth.
Ambassador Ellsworth, What about the Omani have put this ten-thousand-dollar toll on tankers going into the straight?
Is that important strategically consequential?
And what about your former colleagues and allies in NATO?
How are they gonna feel?

21:16 Robert Ellsworth ( former ambassador to NATO, 本人)
On this point my own view and I'm sure that the West Europeans particularly the French, Germans, and British is that it could be serious but that it's not serious enough to justify any kind of precipitate action.

21:37 Don Tobin:
And we just swallow the toll?

21:16 Robert Ellsworth:
Oh I think that would be a mistake.
I think that that would that would be caving in at the very beginning of the test of wills and would in fact have established the Soviets to and .. a major degree with a position of equality of control with regard to the Gulf that neither we nor the Europeans nor the Japanese would be ready to concede yet.

22:03 Don Tobin:
Ambassador, thank you.
There's an old colleagues are standing by a Boston who spent many an hour face to face with the Russians across the table and many another hour intensiveky examining how they think and how they act.
Professor Lincoln Bloomfield of MIT and he has served both in the State Department of National Security Council.
Lincoln, how do the Russians arrive at their security that their foreign policy?
What are they doing over there anything?

22:27 Lincoln Bloomfield (Prof, Political Science, MIT)
I wish we knew Don/
I go by a few basic principles.
One is that the Soviet leaders resemble a man going down a Hotel Carter and trying all the locked doors.
If one of them is open, watch out
If they're all locked, they're very cautious.

22:45 Don Tobin:
How many open doors are they going to find in that hotel which is another way of saying how far is this thing going to go?

22:27 Lincoln Bloomfield:
They must be sitting there calculating right now.
What are the people in the Situation Room of the White House planning, what kind of military deployments might the US make.
I think there are a lot of uncertainties and frankly it's a dangerous situation.

23:09 Don Tobin:
Thank you, Bloomfield in Boston
Just outside the Strait of Hormuz giant tankers wait to load on oil for Japan, for Western allies.
However the Omani toll has effectively stopped all traffic.
And the consensus of world energy experts is that this impasse has to come to an end.

23:35 Bob Calhoun:
Right during off the record, this isn't geared instantaneous crisis
23:40 Dorian Waldorf:
Great. Here are the Russians and us facing off with each other.
Nuclear warheads aimed at each other in the White House's the nuclear warheads.
23:50 Bob Calhoun:
That's not the problem.
23:52 Dorian Waldorf:
Well?
23:52 Bob Calhoun:
Well the system's overloaded too many hot spots
23:59 Dorian Waldorf:
I always told you the White House organization is our key.
24:01 Bob Calhoun:
You tell me a lot of things story
24:04 Dorian Waldorf:
What are you ladies charms is how you so awkwardly trying to change the subject?
24:09 Bob Calhoun:
Well there goes our romantic little dinner.
Thank you sacrifice for your country.
24:19 Dorian Waldorf:
Is the president bunkering in?
24:21 Bob Calhoun:
Not exactly
24:22 Dorian Waldorf:
What is the level with us?
24:24 Bob Calhoun:
Damn little level of.
24;25 Dorian Waldorf:
Wish I could belive you.
24:27 Bob Calhoun:
President is doing he's just not talking right now.
24:32 Dorian Waldorf:
I can hardly wait to your any point is going to be quite an adjustment.
24:36 Bob Calhoun:
How so?
24:37 Dorian Waldorf:
I want you out of the White House.
You can start telling the truth again.

DAY FIVE

25:10 (Staff 1)
Jesu. we got a war on.
25:30 (Staff 2)
Listening Go ahead
25:39 (Staff 1)
You got it
25:42 (Staff 3)
That's Control.
25:44 (Staff 2)
Interrupt
25:49 (Staff 3)
And your code?
Thank you.

23:54 (Announcer by Ray Landry):
This is a CVN News Alert.
We interrupt our scheduled program to bring you the following news bulletin.
Associated Press reports that American warplanes fought a pre-dawn battle over Saudi Arabia with unidentified fighter planes.
One US AWACS reconnaissance aircraft was shot down and fell into the Persian Gulf.
The fate of the crew is not known.
F-18 fighters attached to the united states central command force in Saudi Arabia engage the five intruding aircrafts after their approach was reported by the reconnaissance plane which was then shot down.
Two of the attacking planes, believed to be from either Iran or Kuwait, were hit and apparently destroyed.
The apparent target of the attack was the oil refinery at Ras Tanura where fires were started.
Stay tuned to CVN News as more information becomes available.

26:45 Don Tobin:
Americans were shot today anger the death for crewmen of the US AWACS aircraft shot down over the Persian Gulf.
The air battle took place in Saudi sArabia near the oil refinery at Ras Tanura.
Earlier today the Pentagon released the names of the dead airman.

27:03 John H. Keynes (Pentagon Spokesperson):
Saudi naval units will assist US Navy divers in an attempt to recover the bodies.
The dead are Major Allen Langhorne, San Diego, california,
Captain Homer F Loomis, Raymondville, Texas,
Captain Lyle N Gascho, Milwaukee wisconsin, and
Second lieutenant, Lawrence O. Smooth, Fot smith, Arkansas.

27:28 Don Tobin:
In San Diego, Matsu Yamata is with the parents of the dead pilot.
They are Angela and John Langhorne.

27:32 Matsu Yamada: (by Matsu Anderson)
At seven o'clock this morning a telegram from the Defense Department brought mr. and mrs. Langhorn news that their son Alan lost his life yesterday.
The AWACS aircraft, Allen was piloting, was shot down over the Persian Gulf.

27:48 Angela Langhorne:
My son you always told me Mom "I know what I'm doing. And I'm good at it. And I don't want you to worry because nothing's gonna happen to me."
I'm just so proud of him.

28:08 Don Tobin:
Washington. State Department source who asked not to be identified said that the raid was probably in retaliation against Saudi Arabia for inviting US combat forces into the region.
In Congress, the debate continues to heat up as Middle East tensions dominate the business of the nation's lawmakers.
Senator Eugene McCarthy is standing by at his office in Washington.
Senator as you know we've heard that this is the biggest American commitment overseas in the military power since Vietnam.
And you've seen how divisive it's being in the Congress.
If CVN News were to invest you with the leadership of the nation tonight, where would you take this from now on?

26:45 Eugene McCarthy (Former Senator, 本人)
My caution to the administration would be, they are to proceed very slowly before either committing the military power they have in the area, or in any way escalating the confrontation especially with the Russians in that area.

29:02 Don Tobin:
Well do you think that we should just sit still for this omani blockade and try to deal with it diplomatically, before we make any kind of military response particularly to that?

29:13 Eugene McCarthy:
I think that we have to go very slowly on this matter.
The Russians have a kind of, I suppose you say, a chip on their shoulders, or I would think a disposition to retaliate, since we interfered with their ships on the high seas at the time of the so-called cuban missile crisis.
That was the beginning
I think of the of the build-up of the Russian Navy

29:36 Don Tobin:
Are you predicting that there may be a naval response to this blockade and ...

29:39 Eugene McCarthy:
Well I think would have to come from the Navy.
It's a question of what kind of naval response we get, it were limited to surface ships without aircraft.
I think it might be quite easily be contained.
If we go beyond that to the use of the aircraft of carriers, then I think serious trouble could develop very quickly.

29:58 Don Tobin:
Senator McCarthy thank you very much.
There are now 21 tankers waiting to enter the Strait of Hormuz, 9 more than yesterday.
One tanker captain has threatened to ignore the toll and just sail his ship through the blockade
The Omani's have responded with patrol boats, armed with twenty-millimeter canons.
Question tonight.
Will the Omani's fire on such an unarmed vessel?
And will the united states have to implement a naval action to clear the blockade?
Whatever the answers they'll have to be accomplished quickly as the oil reserves for some of our allies begin to shrink.

DAY SIX

30:49 Don Tobin:
American warships are steaming tonight toward the possible showdown at the entrance to the Persian Gulf.
This action was announced in a statement issued only moments ago.
Our presidential press secretary James Otis.

31:04 James Otis (White House Press Secretary):
The united states naval carrier Nimitz and an attendant battle group of cruisers, frigates, and submarines have been ordered to proceed to the Persian Gulf.
The group will make certain that American merchant vessels are not hindered in the use of international sea lanes.
The president will address the nation at ten p.m. eastern standard time this evening.

31:29 Don Tobin:
We have some pictures of the battle group and the weapons the kind of military power that we're presenting.
The heart of this task force is the US naval carrier Nimitz, her compliments of Warplanes.
Carrier is surrounded by a protective screen of eight frigates and cruisers.
And as further security, an unknown number of hunter-killer submarines will sweep the seas ahead of the task force.
Most of the ships and planes of this formidable task force are equipped with nuclear weapons, cruise missiles and torpedo, is mostly low kilo tons yield, but still much larger than the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Because of the gravity of events in the Middle East we are not going to report other news from around the country in the world tonight, so that we can concentrate on this rapidly expanding crisis paying particular attention to the most recent decision by the president.
Let's go right away for analysis to Washington and CVN News senior correspondent Eric Sevareid.

32:31 Eric Severeid:
Don, what we are witnessing quite simply is a serious escalation of military actions and reactions on both sides.

32:38 Don Tobin:
Now what do you think will the Russians do?
How will they read our latest move?

32:43 Eric Severeid:
Well our stated intention is to create a strong presence in the area in the hopes that the sea lanes will be opened without the use of force, that has not
32:51always worked for the US and the Soviets know it.
Whether they respond militarily and to what degree is uncertain, but they've got the field threat.

33:00 Don Tobin:
With this awesome array of technology lined up on both sides in the Gulf, where does that lead us?

33:05 Eric Severeid:
In something of a no man's land, we hope both sides are talking to each other.
We assume they're being very very careful.
We hope neither side misread a signal, misunderstands an intention, or perceives this rattling of savers as an act of aggression.
But here we are going eyeball to eyeball on the Strait of Hormuz.
It's going to take some very fancy footwork for both sides to get up and walk away from this.

33:29 Don Tobin:
Eric, thank you very much.
Little over two hours from now at ten p.m. eastern standard time.
The president will address the nation from the White House,
CVN News will be there to provide live coverage

33:49 (Radio DJ)
The talk phone number is 453 2188 then we want to hear from you.
Hello you're on the air.
33:53 (Radio listener):
Hello Yeah
I don't know cherry papa..
But when the top leaders of super powers have the right to prove the extinction of the species?
34:04 (Radio DJ)
Was this a general complainer. Do you have a real question? I would like to hear.


34:26 Dorian Waldorf:
So do I drive or walk?
34:32 Bob Calhoun:
No I'll be back.
34:34 Dorian Waldorf:
Tell me how we're seen in a dark car, do some more 18:00 pm?
Is like when it a detective movie something.
34:41 Bob Calhoun:
Yeah it's real something.
I'm breaking the rules.
We're not supposed to talk to the press. one link to CVN.
They point the finger right into.

34:46 Dorian Waldorf:
It's just we're seeing each other.
Don't they realize how many White House works right now?
34:53 Bob Calhoun:
Yeah, they know I'm on the outside.
35:00 Dorian Waldorf:
It's after you.

35:02 Bob Calhoun:
Drama.
intelligence blonde on man he's been ripping ever since
35:11 Dorian Waldorf:
This is how we're gonna see each other from now on.
35:18 Bob Calhoun:
Sorry. Sheee.
35:21 Dorian Waldorf:
What's the matter?

35:24 Bob Calhoun:
This is a story you gotta get out
Satellite photograph across my desk tonight.
The border between Russia and Allies.
Two days ago whole area was jamming with activity
I mean trucks, tanks, mobile, rocket launchers, all around.
I think about today, tonight the new photos everything's gone, zero.
Everybody's out.
Dory could be a signal
35:49 Dorian Waldorf:
from the Russian?
35:50 Bob Calhoun:
yes yes maybe they're saying pull back we did
35:53 Dorian Waldorf:
The president has seen this picture?

35:55 Bob Calhoun:
Everybody's seen it.
Sll up and down the line what does that mean, does that mean
I think it's important
I don't know
I don't think they have time to think anymore
Signal-to-noise ratio in this horrendous

36:07 Dorian Waldorf:
Are you sure you want to do this one?
36:12 Bob Calhoun:
I don't have a choice
Here are the copies, one picture before, one after, an expert can see it real easy

36:17 Dorian Waldorf:
gonna want confirmation
36:22 Bob Calhoun:
Mow , source close to the president
36:25 Dorian Waldorf:
Two sources
36:26 Bob Calhoun:
Don't get caught up in your rules and all hell's gonna break loose
That's hot stuff dory
It should be on the air in half an hour

36:50 Announce:
Ladies and gentlemen the President of the United States

36:58 President:
My fellow Americans. our country is face today with a serious challenge.
We have been asked as a people to make a decision so important that how the world evolves the course it takes for the next century will almost surely depend on what we decide.
As your president and with the valued Council of the leaders of the Congress, the National Security Council and the members of my cabinet, I have made that decision
My decision is to make it absolutely clear to those who would impose unreasonable and crippling restrictions on vital commerce that such restrictions are unacceptable.
To make a decision which would send a signal that is one whit less clear less determined would be to abdicate America's responsibilities to the free world.
To give substance to this decision, I have ordered the need to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that the Persian Gulf is open to shipping.
Ffurthermore, I have instructed the Selective Service Board to induct into the armed services all registrants who have reached their 20th birthday.
We seek no test of arms. our commitment to peace is matched only by our resolve that no nation greater small may hold other nations hostage to its greed for wealth or power.
God bless you and good night

38:59 (Director)
Okay don't tell us all about it.

39:02 Don Tobin:
Well the key is that the Navy can take whatever steps necessary.
Do you think that means that they've given the task force commander the right to make strategic decisions start a war.

39:11 (Director)
Let's find out what it does mean Frank

39:14 (Staff)
What I wish we could do is get through to someone close to the President and persuade them that we have got to get a man on board one of those ships in the task force.

39:24 (Director)
I thought the Jim (James) Otis to the White House

39:30 Don Tobin
Yeah you might remind him that the Brits had news people with their fleet the Falklands and say if there's going to be any grenada style censorship, he won't find the media quite so complacent this time.

39:42 (Director)
Right on

39:43 (Staff)
Ok Let's tune this.
We've got a Waldorf piece coming in from Washington.

39:47 (Director)
Irene, try to get a hold of Jim[James] Otis at the White House press office, and if not, I'll talk to Mr. Dunston or Mr. Grauman. I'll be studio 6 control.

39:58 Dorian Waldorf:
OK, are they already? Good.

40:03 (Staff)
So we all set? She's ready?
All right. Que Dorie [Dorian]

40:11 Dorian Waldorf:
In these critical days, the intelligence agencies are working around the clock in a desperate effort to give the country's political and military leaders the information they need to make crucial decisions.
Literally thousands of bits and pieces of information are gathered daily.
Every one of them has to be studied as a possible clue to Soviet intentions.
For instance, there's the unconfirmed report the Chinese in large numbers are crossing the border into Russia.
What does it mean?
Are they volunteers on their way to join forces with the Russians?
Are they simply peasants playing crop failures in northern Xinjiang?

40:47 (Staff)
This is a pat-many documentary?

40:50 Dorian Waldorf:
No one knows for sure, but it is one more cause for alarm.
One more demand on available energy.
Or there is this satellite photograph that was taken yesterday.
This is the border between the Soviet Union and Iran.
In this picture, taken two days ago,
The objects indicated our military vehicles and weapons on the Russian side of the border.
In this photo, taken last night and just released to CVN News, there is no visual evidence of any military activity whatsoever.
The border is clear, why?
Is Moscow signalling to Washington, "we pulled back. now you do the same"?

41:24 (Staff)
Damn videotape we're coming to the end of the report...

41:28 (Director)
Irene, I will speak to Dorie [Dorian] just as soon as she's through.

41:32 Dorian Waldorf:
And the answer to that question and others like it may depend decisions that could lead to war or peace.
This is Dorian Waldorf, CVN News, Washington

41:43 (Director)
This stuff is fantastic. I mean this is great stuff

41:47 Dorian Waldorf:
Get it, I hope they listen

41:51 (Director)
Dorie, Dorie, who also seen those photos?
No no no no no I mean network cable. OK.

41:57 (Director)
FP, put those photos up again.

42:01 (Director)
Now this is really classified stuff. Usually reliable White House.
Dorie were we're gonna need another source. Confirmation somebody closer to the president
Yeah I know exactly how you feel Dorie?
Just a minute Dorian.

42:21 Don Tobin
Dorie, understand. Yes, of course I understand. But you understand that we've got policy on a story like this now you get that confirmation. ok?

42:32 (Director)
Dori honey I'm sorry Look.
But that is one unhappy.

42:40 Don Tobin
Marvin when we've got the story that could change the course of a war. Then.

42:43 (Director)
Stop

42:45 Don Tobin
All right either way.
We better make damn sure that we've got another source that doesn't just happen to be the reporters boyfriend.

42:54 (Director)
Don, you picked a hell of a time to stand on policy.


DAY SEVEN

43:08 Dorian Waldorf
Hello
43:15 Bob Calhoun
I know it's Bob this is short and sweet and disloyal as hell
43:18 Dorian Waldorf
The story does not run without confirmation
43:20 Bob Calhoun
Listen. You can break away a very good source was to back me up. you gotta meet
43:23 Dorian Waldorf
Okay, any time.
43:26 Bob Calhoun
The parking garage l'enfant plaza, on the lower deck parking to the ticket booth.
Look for a green BMW six o'clock sharp, got it?
43:33 Dorian Waldorf
Wait a minute. that doesn't leave me any.


44:01 Don Tobin
What's Waldorf doing about those satellite photographs.
44:04 (Staff)
She's waiting for confirmation.
44:06 (Director)
It's another deep throat in a parking garage.
We won't know till 6 which kind of puts us in the squishier

44:22 (Radio sound)
Stay tune to seven o'clock news.


45:11 Don Tobin
Soviet submarines are believed to be headed tonight towards the Persian Gulf and a possible confrontation with American warships.
Good evening, this is CVN world news today, Don Tobin reporting
CVN's Michael Boyle and a camera crew were flown early today to the aircraft carrier Nimitz power center of the task force in the Indian Ocean steaming towards the Persian Gulf.
Mik filed this report earlier today.

45:43 Michael Boyle
there goes an f-18 Hornet off the deck of the Nimitz.
Many of this great ships planes are already in the air searching for a flotilla of Russian submarines.
The subs, believed to be of the typhoon class, the Soviet Navy's largest. were spotted last Tuesday off the Strait of Malacca　far from their home base in Vietnam.
The assumed destination the troubled waters of the Strait of Hormuz.
Planes have been shuttling on and off the deck of the Nimitz since well before our arrival this morning in hopes of locating the submarines.
It is thought that the Russian subs are nuclear-powered and are armed with torpedoes that can use either conventional or nuclear warheads.
Meanwhile this giant carrier as protective shield of escort vessels steamed north and top cruising speed toward the Persian Gulf.
At this speed, the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz is less than two days away.
This is Michael Boyle for CVN News aboard the aircraft carrier Nimitz.

46:41 Don Tobin
Gordon Scott in London now has a report on the latest Soviet response

46:47 Gordon Scott
Units of the Russian Home Fleet sailed out of the Black Sea and into the Aegean today.
Admiralty sources in London speculated that the ships would reinforce Russian vessels already in the Mediterranean possibly with a view to keeping the Americans sixth fleet from　the Persian Gulf.

47:05 Don Tobin
Thirty-five years of Cold War threatening to turn hot is failing at least so far to bring Americans closer together.
If anything the divisions the fractures in the body politic grew wider today, while young men lined up at induction centres, other citizens protested
If the crowd outside this induction center is any indication there'll be no lack of military manpower to respond to the fast-moving events in the Middle East.
How happy they are to be here, is yet another question.
As always it depends on who you ask

47:43 (young guy 1)
I'll do what I have to do that's all.
It's not like patriotism or anything
It's more like a job.

47:52 Barry McKay
You enlisted? Why?

47:55 (young guy 2)
I don't want to see this get pushed around anymore.
We haven't won a war since 1945
I think we got a real chance of winning this one.
I want to be part of it,

48:18 (Barry McKay
Whatever kind of war it might be, if indeed it is a war, many of these young men will be in it like it or not, marching to the same drummer for the first time in their lives
Barry McKay, CVN News, Induction Center


48:33 Don Tobin
Chicago, Washington, Boston, Dallas, and 24 other a major American cities at last count have had protests demonstrations of one form or another .
The largest was here in New York.
Thousands of citizens gathered in front of the UN and then marched up Fifth Avenue past St. Patrick's Cathedral.
The most violent was in Berkeley California where 13 people were taken to the hospital and over 40 arrested.
For the latest developments in the Soviet Union go now to Barbara Levin in Moscow

49:08 Barbara Levin
The Soviet Union's defense ministry today called up six classes of reservists.
Military leaves were cancelled in the same order.
All servicemen and women were told to report to their units.
In addition, according to the just-released task report, soviet chief of staff marshal
Nikolai Vogarko was quoted as saying the United States's totally ignored his country's offerings of conciliation.
He went on to say the United States government has continued to pursue its goals of expansionism and domination in the Middle East

49:39 (Staff)
what conciliation, what do they talk about?
49:40 (Director)
Go back

49:46 Barbara Levin
forces to do their duty in defense of the mother matter this is Barbara Levin CVN News Moscow

49:53 (Staff)
God Almighty

49:59 Don Tobin
and no I'm not blaming myself
CVN News can't put stuff like that on the air without confirmation.
You know that besides Bob Ellsworth pointed out that those troops disappearing could just as well mean they'd been sent into action for God's sake
Yes I admit Dorie did a great job.
She just get another source besides that White House boyfriend of hers.
Whar ?
Yeah I'm sorry
Yes it is.
I mean at this stage in our life together we're not gonna start kidding each other are we.
No no if I thought that I'd come home or get you down here
Yeah newsman yeah yeah a newsman right
Yes I do in
yes yes
okay my


DAY EIGHT

51:08 Don Tobin
I'm Don Tobin and New York for CVN News
In order to bring you the latest information as it emerges from the crisis in the Middle East, CVN News will now remain on the air until further notice.
Broadcasting 24 hours a day is a big job.
And if we seem to trip over our feet from time to time
we're going to ask you in advance to bear with us.
For an analysis of the situation, as of this moment, we're going out of Washington and Eric Sevareid senior correspondent for CVN News.
Eric, do we know any more than we did about how serious this is getting well

51:43 Eric Sevareid
It's serious all right very serious.
It's perhaps not as panic provoking as the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The stakes are just as high for both sides and this is a far more complicated crisis than the one of 62.

51:54 Don Tobin
It has all the earmarks of a showdown

51:57 Eric Sevareid
Well Don, it's difficult to second-guess what orders those naval commanders are operating under on either side.
We may well be operating on the premise that our much larger more visible naval strength in the area will be sufficient as a deterrent to the Soviets.
On the other hand, they have enormous numbers of land-based missiles with an easy range of some very large targets.
I'm afraid I can't escape the analogy of a chess match.
We can only hope that with any luck and common sense there will simply be maneuvering with no trading of pieces.
Otherwise in a direct confrontation.
It would be difficult for either side to accept a stalemate
So what has to be avoided at all costs is direct military confrontation

52:36 Don Tobin
Eric Sevaraid, thank you.
For further details on this and other developments we have a report now for Michael Boyle aboard the aircraft carrier Nimitz.

52:45 Michael Boyle
Less than an hour ago two s-3 viking planes returns the deck of the Nimitz as mission accomplished.
They had located unidentified submarines believed to be Russian.
Calculations have been made on the speed and direction of the unidentified submarine.
Assuming they're correct, they will enter the Gulf of Oman a few hours in advance of the arrival of this task force.
If the unidentified submarines are Russian, just what do they have in mind?
For CVN news, this is Michael Boyle on the aircraft carrier Nimitz.

53:15 Don Tobin
The Center for Defense Information in Washington is an organization that monitors our defense policy and spending.
From a completely independent point of view. its director is Rear Admiral Gene R. LaRocque, United States Navy retired Admiral.
Admiral himself commanded a nuclear missile carrying Cruiser.
Admiral LaRocque, we now know that there are two battle groups plowing through the Indian Ocean towards a convergence point somewhere in the Gulf of Oman.
A Soviet group of attack submarines and our own Nimitz with her escort screen.
What do you think is in the minds of the commanders of those two battle groups as they converge on each other.

---

53:57 Gene R. LaRocque
Well I think very simply in the minds of the US commander and the Soviet commander.
They are thinking in terms of nuclear war
The Soviets and the US both have been making plans, practicing, training, and arming for nuclear war.
Our main battery in both the United States Navy and the Soviet Navy at sea are nuclear weapons.
And if you have Soviet submarines as apparently is happening, converging with our aircraft carriers, it's just a question of which side uses nuclear weapons first.
I know that from my own experience that I would not hesitate one minute to use nuclear weapons when confronted with Soviet submarines, because I'm totally aware that the Soviets have nuclear weapons that they can fire at our carrier battle group.
So it's just a question of which side uses them first, any war with the Soviet Union will be a nuclear war.

54:54 Don Tobin
Admiral LaRocque, thank you very much
We have Nancy Dickerson sitting in on a news briefing at the State Department and we're going to.
This has just come in on the UP wire from Washington
The government today has ordered the shutdown of the nation's nuclear fuel power plants.
The spokesman for the
Nuclear Regulatory body said that the closings are being ordered as a precautionary measure.
We'll bring you more on that.
Now we go to Nancy dickerson at the State Department.
Are we having that briefing from?

55:40 Nancy Dickerson
The State Department spokesman John J Bingham has told us that he has two announcements.

55:48 John J Bingham
The governments of Egypt and the Sudan have made a joint offer to mediate between that is they made the offer to Saudi Arabia, Oman and to the United States.
The offer is being studied.

56:16 (Staff 2)
Something's wrong.
Pull back, pull back.
Now ready to go to Don Tobin
56:22 (Director)
No wait. I think. Go back in
56:24 (Staff 2)
All right. some intamin


56:27 John J Bingham
You know unusual demands being placed on departmental officials.
Daily briefings for the news media are suspended until further notice.

56:36 (Director)
We find it
56:38 Don Tobin
Yes, Yes, we have it.

56:40 Nancy Dickerson
As you can see John J Bingham is left without taking any questions.
It's highly unusual.
Of course the one question left on everybody's mind is what is this crisis all about?
Omans toll charge Persian Gulf oils?
Soviet troops in the Iranian border?
I think the only conclusion we can draw is that the people who are making the tough decisions.
Here in Washington I really under tremendous pressure.
I've never seen it like this.
It's almost as if official Washington has gone into the bunker.
Now all we can do is wait and see what happens next and who if anyone is going to tell us when it does.
This is Nancy Dickerson at the State Department

57:15 Don Tobin
To help us understand what must be going on in the heart of the White House, former NATO ambassador Robert Ellsworth is standing by again tonight from his own office.
57:25
Ambassador Ellsworth, it's clear that the lights are burning pretty late in the Situation Room right now.
Pressure on all those people in there must be terrific.
Do they have the capacity to be coherent, and well-informed and well directed as they try to make those decisions.

57:42 Robert Ellsworth
Of course I hope they are and I believe they are.
But the White House staff responsible for these matters in recent years has been rather weak.
57:50 Don Tobin
Do you mean sir at the level of the National Security Advisor?
57:57
I do Robert Ellsworthand that of his staff.

58:01 Don Tobin
that's distressing mr. ambassador thank you very much
Standing by in his office in Boston is a man who has guided this news organization through the intricacies of more than a dozen world crises over the last few years.
He's Lincoln Bloomfield of MIT.
Lincoln, do you think Robert Ellsworth is right?

58:19 Lincoln Bloomfield
Don, I think AmbasadorEllsworth is right to be worried.
I'm worried.
Right now, the president is in control of our system, our billions of dollars are spent, so the president can control and communicate with all of our nuclear forces.
But as things develop in a crisis, release authority goes further down the line and I think Bob Ellsworth has a very

58:46 Don Tobin
Linc, Linc,excuse me.
I've got to interrupt you
I've just been advised from the control room that there's a story coming in that takes us over to Washington.
Don't go away I'll get back to you.

58:59 Dorian Waldorf
Just moments ago, Don, our cameras caught this remarkable and rather frightening scene just outside the White House.
There was no word at first what was wrong.
But it soon became apparent to us that something inside the White House was very wrong., hudging by the amount of activity here.
But just now it has been confirmed to us, defense secretary Ilyana 53 has died.
I repeat the defense secretary is dead.
Perhaps for a heart attack although they're not saying for sure.
There were they say strenuous efforts to revive him by paramedics, but to no avail
This is Dorian Waldorf at the White House

59:40 Don Tobin
you know Defense Secretary Ilyana had the respect of the executive branch at the Pentagon.
And a little bit reluctant Lee perhaps from us in the news media it was a straightforward tough guy.
He did his homework.
He was a vigorous man and it's appalling to think of that chap that we've been seeing on television.
Only a few hours before dead of a heart attack in the situation room
Linc, you knew Secretary Ilyana and I guess you're just as shocked as I am.
Is it conceivable that the pressures of crisis management in that situation room could trigger off a heart attack?

60:19 Lincoln Bloomfield
I'm just appalled at this news he was.
If there's any time we need solid prudent sensible people and in the Situation Room it's right now of course the tension the pressure there is appalling.
It's a crisis system.
It's a man here
It's a person here.
It's not possible to count on completely normal behavior.
I remember in my own service, one very high-ranking government official coming out of a crisis meeting and throwing up in a wastebasket from tension
Another one being rushed to a hospital in the middle of another Middle East war
We spent billions on machinery for for crisis management.
But what is inside people's heads is the same old equipment.
And I think this is a terrible problem.


DAY NINE

61:28 Marty Schindler
They've been coming since dawn.
Nobody told them to there have been.
No announcements
no leaflets as far as I've been able to find out, this is completely spontaneous.
Some of them leave after a few minutes of silence, others stay.
The quiet was broken only a few moments ago by a young couple tolling the ancient bell mounted near the hiroshima monument
With the arrival of monks, meeting their prayer drums the atmosphere has been transformed into a ceremonial right.
One couple traveled all night from their farm 300 miles to the north.
I asked them why they came.
The only explanation they could give me was that something told them this was where they should be today.
This is Marty Schindler CVN News Hiroshima Japan.

62:22 Don Tobin
It seems incredible that it was only 12 days ago that the default of Chile Argentina and Brazil caused this crisis.
Demonstrations in Japan and many other countries throughout the world are a clear response to a drama being played out between the United States and the Soviet Union.
At center stage, in this grave conflict is the US battle fleet.
And we have a report from Michael Boyle.
Is that yes we're going live now to Michael Boyle on the aircraft carrier Nimitz in the Gulf of Oman.

63:00 Michael Boyle
Don, a short time ago, the Nimitz press liaison informed us that we are now within 10 miles of that area now claimed by Oman as if territorial waters in the Strait of Hormuz.
The flight deck of the Nimitz has seen a flurry of activity.
Fighter jets taking off to fly over the Strait inspect Omani gunboat positions and then return.
Two things to remember.
First, this task force the Nimitz and an untold number of cruisers, frigates and sub chasers is still being dogged by an invisible flotilla of Russian submarines.
Second the Nimbus continues full speed ahead into the Strait of Hormuz


63:39 Don Tobin
Mike, a question what exactly is the mission besides guaranteeing passage through the Strait?

63:46 Michael Boyle
but they're still sticking to the official version
If they have any other orders they're not saying anything about it

63:51 Don Tobin
What about firepower? Can you confirm that we're nuclear-capable out there?

63:56 Michael Boyle
Don, we've known for years now that many of these ships and planes are dual capable.
There's no reason to suspect that that's changed for this operation.
But officially there's no answer to that question.

64:08 Don Tobin
All right, Mike, we'll stay close in touch.
Right now Dorian Waldorf is standing by at the White House with a report.
Dorian.

64:17 Dorian Waldorf
It was an angry crowd that gathered here today.
Presidential security personnel quickly called in Washington police requesting that the park and the streets immediately surrounded the White House to be cleared.
The mood of the demonstrators was one of frustration, which rapidly exploded into violence as the police went into action.
Tempers flared on both sides.
And for a short time the situation threatened to become extremely dangerous
Howeverm within an hour, the worst was over.
The police had secured the area.
But at the cost of many bruised bodies and more than a few arrests

64:55 Don Tobin
CVN News has just received information that a ship apparently a super tanker has exploded and is now on fire in the Strait of Hormuz.
There's no confirmation that the explosion was caused by an aggressive act.
As soon as we're able we'll bring you more information from Mike Boyle on the Nimitz.
Repeating, a giant supertanker has exploded in the Strait of Hormuz and appears to be heavily damaged.
Yep yep.
Okay we have that report now from Michael Boyle.

65:23 Michael Boyle
Dylight has revealed the terrible damage done to a Dutch oil tanker Orastick,
In an apparent attempt to run the blockade under cover of darkness.
Orastick was fired on by an Omani gunboat.
The explosion which ripped open the hall of the Dutch tanker has caused a tremendous fire sending black smoke hundreds of feet into the air.
There are still no official estimates of casualties, but it is hard to imagine that anyone survived.
Not once during our helicopter flight did, we see any Omani gunboats/
However just a few miles from the burning Orastick, we observed a Russian nuclear submarine of the typhoon class
The orastick has been fatally damaged and is sinking into the sea.
The first casualty of the growing conflict in the gulf of oman.
The big question here is how will the world's two superpowers.
Now both committed to protecting their vital interest with military force will react as they both sail into the Strait of Hormuz.
This is a Michael Boyle on the Nimitz.

66:26 Don Tobin
To answer that question, we're gonna go live to Washington and Congressman Newt Gingrich and senator Eugene.
Currently congressman Gingrich ,is there anything that's worth blowing away the world worth the risk of a nuclear confrontation that could be set off by the convergence of these two great naval task forces out there in the Middle East


66:51 Newt Gingrich
Don, tragically you've asked the right question.
There is no thing worth nuclear war.
But Winston Churchill said it brilliantly, when he said that war is horrible, slavery is worse.
If we stand by, and allow the Soviet Union in international waters to block the United States from acting on behalf of our friends and allies, with our friends and allies, if we stand by and allow a Soviet backed puppet state in Oman to block the Straits of Hormuz, and strangle both Japan the second largest economy in the world and Western Europe then freedom will die.

67:35 Don Tobin
Congressman Gingrich thanks very much.
Now we've got Barry Mckay in the CVN helicopter flying over New York City.
Barry

67:44 Barry Mckay
Don, for the last few minutes we've been flying over expressways leading out of the city.
The traffic quite simply.
It's barely moving, seems to be growing worse by the hour.
But we can only imagine what people are thinking, perhaps New York City makes a very large target for some Russian missile.
And then because it is so big, it's a very hard place to run away from.
The CVN News has just received these satellite pictures from San Francisco where the traffic jams are bringing the city to a stop
Untold thousands are trying to escape to areas outside the city driven we assume by a growing fear the tensions in the world

68:19 Don Tobin
Now we're going over to senator Eugene McCarthy.
Senator millions of Americans tonight are frightened and people are evacuating cities.
You look very calm.
Are you frightened ?

68:32 Eugene McCarthy
Well I don't know whether I'm frightened.
I think the evacuation, I've always thought the evacuation was a bad policy.
First of all, it couldn't work because of our general traffic conditions.
But also psychologically bad
If we ,if we reach the point where you have to evacuate cities to avoid nuclear war, it means that there's no place to hide,

68:50 Don Tobin
Senator McCarthy thank you very much.
CVN News has learned that many schools closed early today and that they won't resume tomorrow.
Evening activities of all kinds have been canceled.
Instinctively families, friends, loved ones are coming together.
There's a growing sense of feeling of prudence and restraint that seems to be spreading across the country.
Perhaps the only response we have to events we cannot control.
All right.
We're going now to and Gailmore at Carswell Texas,

69:24 Ann Gailmore
The Strategic Air Command is redeploying its bombers.
Many to civilian airports.
Their locations as yet unidentified.
This strategy is designed to confuse Soviet intelligence and have the Bombers dispersed as widely as possible throughout the country in case of nuclear attack?
This is Anne Gailmore CVN News Carswell Air Force Base Texas

69:46 Don Tobin
The last time b-52s were redeployed was during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962
To review developments of the last hour at home the Civil Aeronautics Board and the Federal Aviation Administration released a joint announcement suspending all overseas air travel until further notice.
AT&T and regional telephone utilities have hurt and jammed.
CVN's live news coverage events of events in the Middle East and here at home will continue in a moment. urge the public to refrain from all that emergency use of their home telephones switchboards in Chicago San Francisco Boston dozens of other cities

70:33 (Staff 3)
Here at this point.
70:33 Dorian Waldorf
Okay. excuse me

70:44 Dorian Waldorf
You crazy. gonna have your head?
70:49 Bob Calhoun
It's time to goto flee.
70:50 Dorian Waldorf
What are you talking about?
70:57 Bob Calhoun
I just left the White House.
There's a full-scale evacuation going on
71:01 Dorian Waldorf
You're not serious. I was there
71:04 Bob Calhoun
I'm sorry
Unarmed Dutch tanker was just blown out of the water
The president pulled out all the staffs to military vault now.
they've got helicopters all over the White House along one hour maybe.
They're gonna take him out of there.
I don't know where we're gonna go.
But we got to get moving right now.

71:30 Dorian Waldorf
I can't
71:34 Bob Calhoun
One more broadcast isn't gonna make any difference.
It's too late for that now
71:37 Dorian Waldorf
Maybe but I can't leave
I do love you


72:09 (Director)
Don, I've got any carb downstairs
Come on, take a break.
72:13 Don Tobin
No not yet I can't get through to her.

72:15 (Director)
We'll bring her knee in here and any more fly around

72:17 Don Tobin
So we're now expected love sit down after he said all her flights were canceled/
10 million Americans what's going on in the world.
I can't get through to one woman.

72:34 (Director)
Maybe she already left well

72:36 Don Tobin
She knows that's what she's supposed to do.
But I know her she's at home watching me that's what she's like.

72:39 (Staff)
Standby on the studio.
They have a report coming in from Mick Boyle

72:42 Don Tobin
Elements of the US Navy's task force at the Strait of Hormuz have been involved in an exchange of gunfire with hostile warships
We received via satellite only moments ago this extraordinary coverage that you're about to see.
The voice you hear is that of CVN reporter Michael Boyle aboard the Nimitz

73:15 Michael Boyle
I didn't think I'd see this.
Omani gunboats engaged our ships in battle.
What happened was this.
Incredibly Omani gunboat met our lead frigate the Tallmadge
Still several miles outside their territorial waters and fired a shot across her bow.
The Tallmadge held course and a second shot struck her in the haul.
No word on casualties.
The enemy fire was returned
Later there was another explosion.
It was the Omani gunboat.
It must have taken a direct hit because it just disappeared

73:50 Don Tobin
That naval action took place only moments ago.
We're going to Washington now and CVN senior news correspondent Eric Sevareid.
Eric it's Don.

74:03 Eric Sevareid
Yes,

74:04 Don Tobin
I'm remembering that even in the midst of gastric spasm at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis through it.
There was something inside me that kept insisting that once the players came to the edge of the abyss and looked into it, that they would pull back.
And even today as black as it seems, I still hear that insistent voice that says that reasonable people once they've looked the devil in the face aren't going to shake hands with him.
What do you think?

74:32 Eric Sevareid
Well without that constant hope I guess the human race wouldn't have got this far.
But I can remember September 1st 1939 and Paris a week before we would have said that we couldn't believe it.
But there it was all a headline the Cierra guerra
But maybe history's been trying to tell us something.
Superpowers, great powers, anyway cannot go time and again to the brink without eventually going over.
This is the way World War 1 got started.
Not a sudden deliberate onslaught by one great power against another.
I don't think any of the great powers in 1914 really wanted it.
But it was a procession a process, one event leading to the next event to the next all of it getting worse.
And the leaders of the time did not have the will or the wisdom to intervene and stop that process.
It could have been stopped.
Many wars could have been stopped that way.
And if the present leaders can't intervene in this situation and back up and stop it, then God will have to forgive them because there won't be anybody else around to do it.

75:33 Don Tobin
But what more do they need to know they've they've seen the male fist being shaken on either side.
Surely they don't need any more demonstrations of macho superiority.

75:46 Eric Sevareid
I wouldn't think so.
This is one government stalking another government, talking to another government.
This is not the peoples of either country.

75:53 Michael Boyle
Now make Don, Yes, yes Don.
We've been advised that we've just entered the territorial waters of arm on the Tallmadge is burning on the horizon the Oman

76:05 Don Tobin:
Excure me. We're trying to establish a live satellite interconnect with MickBoyle aboard the latest information

76:13 Michael Boyle:
I believe we have that the gunboat is gone and I have to presume sunk.
But what's just a little bit eerie about all this is that out there somewhere Russian subs are all around.

76:25 Don Tobin:
Mick we're staying with you

76:26 Michael Boyle:
I wonder if you could hear that that was a depth charge that was number four.
We started hearing them the first one was about two minutes ago.
Approximately five minutes ago, word came down that an unidentified submarine had slipped through our outer perimeter of picket ships and was being tracked on an interception course with this carrier.
Definitely closer they've got something targeted, since of expectation here is very, something you can almost taste.

77:10 Don Tobin;
How are you alright?

77:12 Michael Boyle:
Just an incredible explosion from somewhere over there.
my first ...
Most to be low yield but almost certainly a nuclear explosion,
It seems to have been under water.
I don't know
Maybe the Russian side was getting too close and they hit it with nuclear depth charge.
Maybe it was a sub exploding
I don't know I'm gonna try to see what that was.
I just might for a ... on Nimiz

77:44 Don Tobin:
Mick, Mick, We're staying with you

77:52 Don Tobin:
While we're waiting for Michael boiler return, I've been told that outside the United Nations in New York.
Several thousand demonstrators have surged through barricades.
Now wait. we're still with the Nimitz

78:27 (Officer)
No Comment. Sorry.

78:29 Michael Boyle
We want to ask use of nuclear weapon.

78:31 (Officer)
We have no confirmation that nuclear weapons have been used.

78:33 Michael Boyle
We saw mushroom cloud out there.
Still conventional weapon.
Who has released for you...

78:42 (Officer)
Mick, honest to god I just don't know.

79:08 Michael Boyle
Bullshit, shaking like a leaf, damage

79:31 Michael Boyle
Two seconds ago, each cloud rationally
you see the one piece
difinitely been hit
at the moment there's nowhere to go
further information but there's no question that is having en exchange of nuclear weapons
The cloud is dissipating
I can see the moon again over the Straits of Hormuz

80:37 Don Tobin:
We we seem to have lost contact with Michael Boyle aboard the aircraft carrier Nimitz.
To repeat it appears that in the Strait of Hormuz US and Soviet forces have exchanged nuclear weapons with most likely the loss of an American warship and the destruction of the Soviet submarine.

81:10 (Staff)
Ok, where's Waldorf?

81:12 (Director)
She's on her way at to the air force base.
The president is leaving the White House.
She thinks he's going to his command aircraft.

81:24 (Staff)
Jesus

81:25 Don Tobin:
We're going live now Dorian Waldorf standing by at Andrews air force base

81:33 Dorian Waldorf:
We are looking at the president's airborne command post.
The idea is that if the nation's leaders are in an airplane five miles above the damage that would be caused by a nuclear attack on the United States, they will be able to continue to give vital orders to commanders on the ground.

81:48 Don Tobin;
Dorian, I have to interrupt. We have word now that there's a message of some kind coming through from the White House.

81:53 (voice)
The President, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the President's closet advisers have left the White House. This is a precautionary measure.
Its purpose is to make sure that the nation's leaders are able to continue to search for peaceful solutions to the grave problems that confront us.
Within a few minutes we will activate the emergency broadcast system where you will continue to receive information from your government.
In the meantime the president has instructed me to urge everyone during these critical hours to remain calm, stay at home and to offer their prayers for peace. Thank you.

82:48 Don Tobin:
Twenty years ago, I used to spend a lot of time talking about... hypothetical nuclear war scenarios with a man who was one of the pioneers in that form of prophecy... he's dead now... really believed in his craft. He said to me once, "Don, I'm convinced that sooner or later there will be a nuclear exchange - but I'm also convinced that when the leaders confront the terror of that exchange, they'll realize they can't get away any longer with playing war games, and they'll turn around... if there's anything to the power of prayer.
In a short while our voices will be replaced by official government voices of the emergency broadcasting system.
Until that time, this is a news organization and we shall continue to serve you with the best reporting our facilities and staff can mustard.
Here's a bulletin that's just come in.
The President's Emergency airborne command post is now taking off from Andrews Air Force Base.
Flying high over the United States will join another airplane carrying members of the Strategic Air Command.
They will attempt to maintain communications with the United States forces throughout the world.
Code name of the second airplane is looking glass.

84:19 (Voice)
We interrupt this program.
This is a national emergency.
Important instructions will follow.
This is an emergency action notification message.
This station has interrupted its regular programming at the request of the White House to participate in the emergency broadcast system.
During this emergency, most stations will remain on the Air broadcasting news and official information to the public and assigned areas.
This is the CVN News Network.
We will remain on the Air you are listening to the emergency broadcasting system

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