Thirteen Days

The film is set during the two-week Cuban missile crisis in October of 1962, and it centers on how President John F. Kennedy, Attorney General Robert Kennedy, and others handled the explosive situation.

Hey!

What theWho's that?

You're dead.

- Who grabbed me? Who grabbed me?
- Watch out!

Who grabbed me?

- Honey, you're gonna be late.
- What'd you grab me for?

Mom, I can't find
my shoes for school.

They're under the couch.

Sit down. Yeah.

Dad, will you sign my permission slip
for tomorrow?

Give it to your mother.

Your mother's arms are full.

- You got time for pancakes?
- Nope.

Give us another one, Dad.

Secretary of Defense.

Dean Rusk.

Wrong. And you get
to wax my car.

Rusk is State, moron.
It's Robert McNamara.

Attorney General.

Too easy.

Yeah, it's Bobby Kennedy.

All right, wise guys.
Assistant Secretary of State
for Latin America.

That's too hard.

Wait a minute.
This isn't a permission slip.

This is your report card.

Have you seen these grades?

No.

All right.
Gotta go. Be good.

You

I'm talking to you later.

- Morning, Evelyn.
- Hi, Ken.

- Ooh, those candies are for the kids.
- Is that right?

- Morning, Floyd.
- Good morning, Mr. O'Donnell.

- Morning, Jackie.
- Hi, Kenny.

- Want a schedule?
- No.

Why'd you cross
all my people off the list?

Because you don't have anybody
on it who means anything.

- No votes there. There's no money.
- It's a party, Kenny.

And the one thing we both can be
sure of is that you don't know
how to have a party.

Well, party to you,
politics to me.

So, who do you want?
For real?

Everyone on my list.

I don't want to spend
an entire evening

pretending that your votes and
money are more interesting
than they really are.

And I want my kids
to stop eating the candy
in the Oval Office.

That's not me.

Then who is it?

I don't rat
on my friends.

Well, I'm going to take
this whole list thing
up with your friend.

Are you trying
to go around me?

Go around you,
over you, through you
Whatever it takes.

You're starting to bug me.

Good.

I'll get back to you.

Top of the morning,
Mr. President.

Morning, Kenny.

Just ran into your wife.

- Want to talk about this party?
- No.

- You see Homer Capehart's
tirade today?
- I did.

I don't see why he needs
to invent an issue.

He's got his election
sewn up.

Even so, we should
still go out for Bobby.

It's good groundwork
for us in '64.

Look into that, uh...

That Vietnam thing.

- What, the 2 planes that went down?
- Yeah.

It didn't make it
before press time.

I haven't taken a look
at the West Coast papers yet,

but I doubt we'll see
anything till tomorrow.

I was eating that.

- No, you weren't.
- I was.

- No, you weren't.
- I was.

I was, you bastard.

So, what do we got today?

Today.

That's it.

That's the one
we're looking for.

- I need to see the President, Kenny.
- All right.

2:30 to 2:45 or 4:30 to 5: 00.
Take your pick.

No, I need to see him
now, Ken.

You can go on up.
I'll let him know you're coming.

Coffee?

Yeah.

That's not what you said.

*What'd I say?
Tell me what I said.*

That's not what

Listen to me, you
worthless piece of shit.

Now, you will put
Daley's man on the circuit,

and you'll do it today.

You owe your goddamn job
to this administration.

Yeah, I canI can hear
how grateful you are,

but there's a word
you need to learn.

It's the only word
in politics.

It's called loyalty.
Loyalty!

Now, any part of this
you don't understand?

Good.

What?

This isn't the blessed order
of St. Mary the Meek.

Look, you better
come in here.

What was it you
were saying to me
the other day about Cuba?

It wasn't important?

Not as far
as the election goes.

Mac, let's, uh...

Can I see that for a second?

Ken, you used to look down
a bombsight for a living.

Just ignore the labels.
What does that look like to you?

I don't know.

What is it?

On Sunday morning, one of
our U-2s took these pictures.

The Soviets are putting medium-range
ballistic missiles into Cuba.

They appear to be the SS-4,
range of 1000 miles,

3-megaton nuclear warheads.

Seen here in this year's
May Day Parade in Red Square.

Jesus Christ in heaven.

White House operator.

Yeah, Mr. O'Donnell, please,
for Secretary McNamara.

Go ahead, please.

White House operator.

I've got the President
for the Attorney General.
Go ahead, please.

What the crap
is going on today?

That's right. That's right.

The principals
are assembling in an hour.

We'll see you then.

Where's Bobby?

- He should be here any minute.
- Well, good.

Good.

Where the hell are you?

We're in here.

Jesus Christ, guys. What the hell
is Khrushchev thinking?

You have any indication of this
from your KGB pal Bolshakov?

Any possible warning,
sense of motivation?

Complete snow job.

And then we went out
and told the country

they weren't putting
missiles into Cuba.

Jesus, I...

I feel like we caught the Jap carrier
steaming for Pearl Harbor.

- Good morning, gentlemen.
- Good morning, Mr. President.

- Mr. Secretary.
- Mr. President.

Bob, I'll bet you
had a late night.

Sleep is for the weak,
Mr. President.

- Max.
- Mr. President.

The CIA's been notified.

McCone's on his way back
from the West Coast.

He's been burying
his stepson.

General Carter
is here, though.

- Ted.
- Kenny.

OK.

Let's have it.

Arthur?

Gentlemen,
as most of you now know,

a U-2 over Cuba
Sunday morning

took a series
of disturbing photographs.

Our analysis at NPIC
indicates

that the Soviet Union
has followed up

its conventional weapons
buildup in Cuba

with the introduction
of surface-to-surface

medium-range
ballistic missiles, or MRBMs.

Our official estimate
at this time

is that this missile system
is the SS-4 Sandal.

We do not believe that the missiles
are as yet operational.

Ironbark reports
that the SS-4 can deliver

a 3-megaton nuclear weapon
1000 miles.

So far, we've identified
32 missiles

serviced by about 3,400 men,

undoubtedly
all Soviet personnel.

Our cities
and military installations

in the Southeast as far north
as Washington, D.C.

Are in range of these weapons

and in the event of a launch
would have only 5 minutes
of warning.

5 minutes, gentlemen.

In those 5 minutes, they
could kill 80 million Americans

and destroy a significant
percentage of our bomber bases,

degrading our
retaliatory options.

The Joint Chiefs'
consensus, Mr. President,

is that this signals
a major doctrinal shift
in Soviet thinking

to a first-strike policy.

It is a massively
destabilizing move.

How long until
they're operational?

General Taylor can answer
that question better than I can.

GMACGuided Missiles
Intelligence Committee

estimates 10 to 14 days.

A crash program
could limit that time,

however, I must stress
that there may be more missiles

that we don't know about.

We need more U-2 coverage.

Gentlemen,
I want first reactions here.

Assuming for the moment
that Khrushchev has not
gone off the deep end

and intends to start World War Ill,
what are we looking at?

Well, Mr. President,

I believe my team
is in agreement.

If we permit the introduction
of nuclear missiles

to a Soviet satellite nation
in our hemisphere,

the diplomatic
consequences would be...

too terrible to contemplate.

The Russians are trying
to show the world

they can do whatever they want,
wherever they want,

and we're powerless to stop them.
If they succeed...

It'll be Munich all over again.

Yes. Appeasement only makes
the aggressor more aggressive.

And the Soviets will be
emboldened to push us even harder.

Now, we must remove the missiles
one way or another.

Now, it seems to me
the options are either

some combination of
international pressure

and action on our part
till they give in,

Or...

We hit them

An air strike.

Bob?

We worked up
several military scenarios.

Before I ask
General Taylor to take us
through the various options,

I'd like for us to adopt a rule.

If we decide to strike,

we must agree now to do it

before the missiles
become operational,

because once they are,
I don't think we can
guarantee getting them all

before at least

At least some of them
are launched.

Well, it's clear
we cannot permit

Soviet nuclear missiles
in Cuba.

We have to get
those missiles out.

You know, I don't think
it's going to matter what
Khrushchev's intentions are.

I can tell you right now,

I don't see any way
around hitting them.

If we hit 'em,
kill a lot of Russians,
they'll move against Berlin.

All right,
they attack Berlin,

that's NATO, and we're at war.

We're damned if we do,
but if we don't,

we're in a war for sure
somewhere else in 6 months.

Well, if there are
alternatives that make sense,

and I'm not saying
that there are,

then we need them,
and we need them fast.

All right.
What about Congress?

Now, I think we may need
to start letting key people know,

and they're all scattered
across the country
for the campaign.

We can get Congress back.

We're gonna need to get the U.N.
Stomping and warmed up.

What about the allies?

We can't start worrying
about everything.

Right now we got to
figure out what we're gonna do

before we worry about
how we're gonna do it.

We've got a bunch
of smart guys.

We lock 'em in a room
and kick 'em in the ass

until they come up
with some solutions.

I'll do it.

It's too politicized
with you in there anyway.

They need to be able
to stick their necks out.

Yeah. It'll be the principals,

a couple of the key guys
from each Department

The Executive Committee
of the National Security Council.

Call it EXCOM.

OK.

So, I'm only gonna
show for the meetings
that you call me into.

And impress us.

Do it fast.

And, Kenny, you're
gonna be in charge
of keeping this thing quiet.

I mean, if word gets out before
we know what we're gonna do,

there's gonna be panic.

And it's gonna ruin
any chance we might have

at surprise if we decide
to hit them.

We're gonna need to do
a few things right away.

No Pierre.

He knows, the press knows.

And you're gonna have
to keep up your schedule.

Your movements
are followed too closely.

Well, George Ball's got
a conference room at State.

Good. You meet over there
this afternoon.

We'll figure out some way
to sneak you guys
back in here tonight.

I think we should
bring in Dean Acheson.

Kenny, he was fighting Soviets
while we were still playing
ball together at school.

Find him, Kenny.

We're gonna need
all the help we can get.

Screw secrecy.

You try having that fat ass
sit on your lap all the way
from Foggy Bottom.

You were excited.
I say no more.

Everybody agrees
the diplomatic route won't work.

It's too slow, and they'll
have the missiles finished
while we're still talking.

I hear old Warren Harding used to
get his girls in through here.

We have 850 planes

assembling at Homestead,
Eglin, Opa Locka,

MacDill, Patrick,
Pensacola, and Key West.

Due to
the tropical foliage,

the OPLAN calls
for high explosive

and napalm load-outs for
our ground-attack sorties.

I still think there are
diplomatic approaches

we haven't considered yet.

Jesus, Adlai,
peace at any price?

We have a gun to our head.

We have high confidence

in the expanded air-strike
option, Mr. President.

The problem is, sir, is that
it's a short-term solution.

Khrushchev can send in
more missiles next month.

The Chiefs and I believe

we should follow up
the air strikes

with a full version
of OPLAN 316.

- An invasion?
- Yes, sir.

We can be sure
we get all the missiles,

and we remove Castro
so this can never happen again.

Is this the Joint Chiefs'
recommendation?

Yes, sir. Our best option,
as Bob pointed out this morning,

would be to commence the strikes
before the missiles
become operational.

The invasion happens 8 days later.

Dean...

What do you think?

Gentlemen,
for the last 15 years,

I've fought here at this table

alongside your predecessors

in the struggle
against the Soviet.

Now, I do not wish
to seem melodramatic,

but I do wish
to impress upon you

a lesson I learned with
bitter tears and great sacrifice.

The Soviet understands
only one languageAction.

Respects only
one wordForce.

I concur with General Taylor.

I recommend, sir, air strikes
followed by invasion,

perhaps preceded by an ultimatum
to dismantle the missiles

if that is militarily viable.

So, it appears
we have 3 options.

Number one
A surgical air strike

against the missiles themselves.

2A much larger air strike
against their air defenses

along with the missiles,
and 3

Invasion.

So, we're certainly
gonna do number one.

We're gonna take
these missiles out.

It seems to me
we can't wait very long.

We should at least be
making those preparations.

We're preparing to
implement all 3 options,

though I must stress again, sir,

there are risks to the strikes

without the follow-on
invasion.

You want to be clear,
Mr. President,

that we've definitely decided
against a political track.

Dean, uh...

How does this all play out?

Your first step, sir,
will be to demand

that the Soviet
withdraw the missiles
within 12 to 24 hours.

They will refuse.

When they do,
you will order the strikes,
followed by the invasion.

They will resist and be overrun.

They will retaliate
against another target

somewhere else in the world,
most likely Berlin.

We will honor
our treaty commitments

and resist them there,

defeating them per our plans.

Those plans call for
the use of nuclear weapons.

So what is the...
What is the next step?

Hopefully, cooler heads
will prevail

before we reach the next step.

Thank you, gentlemen.

What happened in there?

I thought he was gonna
give us his decision.

Look, I know them. They just need
to make sure there's no other way.

They'll get there.

Remember that Kennedy's father
was one of the architects of Munich.

There's only one
responsible choice here,

so let's hope appeasement
doesn't run in families.

I fear weakness does.

Jesus Christ.

CallCall me Irish,

but I don't believe
in cooler heads prevailing.

- You know, they think
I froze in there.
- You didn't freeze.

You did exactly
what you should've done.
You stayed out of the corner.

You didn't decide.

Well, Acheson's
scenario is just

It's unacceptable, and he's got
more experience than any of them.

There is no expert
on the subject.

I mean, there is no
wise old man. There's

Shit. There's just us.

The thing is
that Acheson's right.

Talk alone is not gonna
accomplish anything.

Well, let's bomb
the shit out of 'em.

Everybody wants to.
I mean, even you.

I mean, even me.

Right? It sure would
feel good.

And, Jack,

I'm as conniving
as they come, but

a sneak attack is just wrong.

Things are happening too fast.
I mean, this is starting to smell

like the Bay of Pigs
all over again.

Well, tonight, listening
to Taylor and Acheson,

I kept seeing Lemnitzer
and Dulles telling me

all I had to do was
sign on the dotted line,

and the invasion would
succeed, and Castro

And Castro would be gone.

Justeasy
Just like that.

You know, there's something...

immoral about abandoning
your own judgment.

We just can't let this
get out of hand.

And we're gonna do
whatever we have to do

and make this come out right.

- I'm gonna stay here tomorrow.
- No, you can't.

Remember, we talked about this,
your schedule.

The best thing you can do
tomorrow is go to Connecticut.

He's right.

Yeah.

Jesus.

Doesn't anybody in Connecticut
have to work today?

I love you, JFK!

The full spectrum
of air strikes

is the minimum response
the Joint Chiefs will accept.

No, no, no!

Now, there is more
than one option here,

And if one isn't occurring to us,
it's because we haven't
thought hard enough.

Bobby, sometimes there
is only one right choice,

and you thank God
when it's so clear.

You're talking
about a sneak attack.

How will that make us look?

A big country blasting
a little one into the Stone Age.

Oh, we'll be
everyone's favorite.

Come on, Bobby, that's naive.

This is the real world.

You know that better than anybody.

And you weren't so ethically
particular when we were
talking about options

for removing Castro over at CIA.

Bob...

If we go ahead
with these air strikes,

you know what it'll
come to in the end.

There has got
to be something else.

Give it to me.

Now, I don't care how crazy,
inadequate, or stupid it sounds.

Give it to me.

6 months ago,
we gamed out a scenario.

It's slow. It doesn't
get rid of the missiles.

It's got a lot of drawbacks.

The scenario calls
for a blockade of Cuba.

The situation
is worse than we thought.

We now count 40 missiles.

40 missiles.

Longer range IRBMs.

They can hit every place
in the country

except Seattle.

Mr. President,

you give me
the order right now,

my planes will be
ready to carry out

the air strikes in 3 days time.

All you gotta do is say go.

My boys will get
those red bastards.

General, how long
until the Army's ready?

We've just begun
the mobilization under cover
of a pre-arranged exercise, sir.

We're looking at another
week and a half.

But you can order the strikes now.

The plans call for
an 8-day air campaign.

It'll light a fire under
the Army's ass to get in place.

General LeMay, do you truly believe
that's our best course of action?

Mr. President, I believe
it is the only course of action.

America is in danger.

Those missiles are
a threat to our bomber bases

and the safety
of our nuclear deterrent.

Now, without our deterrent,

there's nothing to keep the enemy
from choosing general nuclear war.

It's our duty, sir,

our responsibility
to the American people

to take out those missiles

and return stability to
the strategic situation.

The big red dog is
digging in our backyard,

and we are justified
in shooting him.

Sir, we have a rapidly closing
window of opportunity

where we can prevent
those missiles from ever
becoming operational.

The other options
do not guarantee

the end result that
we can guarantee.

However, as more time goes by,

the less reliable the choice
we can offer you becomes.

Mr. President,

the motto I chose for SAC

is "Peace is our Profession."

Now, God forbid we find
ourselves in a nuclear exchange,

but if launched,
those missiles from Cuba

would kill a lot of Americans.

The very presence
of those missiles

gives the Soviets
first-strike capability.

Those missiles make
a nuclear exchange more likely,

and that is why I'm being
such a pain in the ass

about destroying them and
dstroying them immediately.

Hell, even Mac agrees.

And, sir, given your own
statements about Cuba,

I think a blockade
or a bunch of political talk

would be considered by a lot
of our friends and neutrals

as a pretty weak response.

I suspect that many
of our own citizens

might feel the same way.

You're in a pretty bad fix,
Mr. President.

What did you say?

You're in a pretty bad fix.

Maybe you haven't noticed
you're in it with me.

Now, General, what
are the Soviets gonna do

when we attack?

Nothing.

Nothing?

Nothing,

because the only
alternative open to them

is one they can't choose.

You know, they're

They're not just missiles
we're gonna be destroying, General.

If we kill Soviet soldiers,
they're gonna respond.

I mean, how would we respond
if they killed ours?

No, they're gonna
do something, General.
I can promise you that.

Those goddamn Kennedys are
gonna destroy this country

if we don't do something
about this.

We're headed out to the backyard

to take a look
for that big red dog.

Thanks, Bob.

I was hoping LeMay pushed you,

because I was ready to knock
that son of a bitch across the room.

We knew it was coming.
And I'll tell you one thing, Kenny,

those brass heads
have one big advantage.

That is, if we do
what they want us to do,

there's none of us gonna be left
alive to tell 'em they were wrong.

Mr. President, we need to
go over what you're going to say.

Gromyko should be
on his way by now.

Now, there's still
no sign that they know

that we know
about the missiles.

Well, we're gonna
keep it that way.

Kenny?

I'll be right there.

I'm getting funny questions
from the guys.

Yeah? What sort of questions?

About some sort
of military exercises?

You want me to do my job
handling the press,

I need to know what's going on.

- Military exercises?
- Yeah, military exercises.

Haven't heard anything about it.

Ask Bundy.

I did. He said to ask you.

Mr. Gromyko,
this way, please.

Mr. Dobrynin, what are
your hopes for the meeting?

Mr. Gromyko, can you give us
a statement, please?

Robert.

- Hugh, how are you?
- Good.

Excuse me, Joan.

So, tell me about
this military exercise that's
going on down in Puerto Rico.

What?

It's called ORTSAC, I believe.
Castro spelled backwards.

ORTSAC? I... I don't know
what you're talking about.

Me, either. Why?

Well, because maybe
the President and Gromyko
are gonna talk about it.

If you're trying to drum
something up, Johnny, forget it.

This meeting's been
on the books for months.

Far as I know,
it's just a friendly talk
on U.S. -Soviet relations.

Sir! Sir!

Mr. President!

All right, hold it, guys. Hold it.
You'll get your pictures.

Does it?

Mm-hmm.

I'll be damned.

Kind of simple for the Pentagon.

What is this meeting about, sir?

Sir!

Mr. Gromyko,
thank you for coming.

Hold on, guys. One minute.

Gentlemen, would you mind
shaking hands?

So that there should be
no misunderstanding

the position
of the United States,

which has been made clear
by the Attorney General
to Ambassador Dobrynin here,

I shall read a sentence from
my statement to the press
dated September 13th.

"Should missiles
or offensive weapons

"be placed in Cuba,

"it would present
the gravest threat

to U.S. National security."

Mr. President,

as Premier Khrushchev's own
statement of September 13th
assured you,

our military assistance
to Cuba

is of a defensive nature only.

So I do not
misunderstand you,

There are no offensive
weapons in Cuba?

Premier Khrushchev's
statement of September 13th

remains the position
of the Soviet Government.

To that,
I have nothing to add.

Well, that's good enough for me.

Thanks so much.

Thank you.

Gentlemen, if you'll
come with me, please.

A most constructive meeting.

- What happened?
- Lying bastard.

Lied right to my face.

We're split down the middle.

If I held a vote,
I think air strike would
beat blockade by a vote or two.

I want a consensus. I mean,
either air strike or blockade,

but something everyone's
going to stand by,

even if they don't like it.

I need it by Saturday.
Make it happen.

What if I can't?

We go into this split,
the Russians will know it.

They'll know it
and use it against us.

Have you canceled Chicago
and the rest of the weekend yet?

If you don't show for Chicago,
everyone'll know there's
something going on.

- I don't care. Just cancel it.
- Forget it!

I'm not calling
and canceling on Daley.

You call and cancel on Daley.

You're scared
to cancel on Daley?

You're damn right
I'm scared.

Well, I'm not.

Watch this.

Welcome to Chicago,
Mr. President.

Mr. Mayor, I wouldn't miss
this event for the world.

Mr. President, over here!

Mayor Daley!

Let's go.

Tonight, you're going to
experience some true Midwest...

Kenny! What's going on?

Now the guys are
hounding me about some
troop movements in Florida?

What are you telling them?

The truth I don't know.

- Am I out of the loop
on something?
- No.

Tell them you' ve looked into it,
and all it is is an exercise.

Oh, and, Pierre,

Tomorrow, the President
may have a cold.

- A what?
- A cold.

Kenny, do I get
any input around here?

Yeah.

How bad it is is up to you.

You know, there are major
rail disruptions in the South.

2 Airborne Divisions
are on alert.

Sounds to me like that
exercise is an invasion.

Well, you know
how Bobby has it in
for the state of Mississippi.

We're invading Cuba.

Damn it, we are not
invading Cuba.

Are you crazy?

Nobody gives
a rat's ass about Cuba

Not now, not ever.

If you print something like that,
all you're going to do
is inflame the situation.

Nobody talks to assholes
who inflame situations.

Assholes like that
can find themselves

cut out of the loop.

That's the first time
you've ever threatened me.

All right.

I won't print anything
until I have another source,

But I promise you,
I'll get one.

Bobby.

*We've got a consensus
for a blockade,*

but it won't last past tomorrow,
Kenny. You have to bring him back.

*Oh, by the way,
China invaded India today.*

You're kidding, aren't you?

I wish I were. Galbraith's
handling it in New Delhi.

*Makes you wonder
what's coming next.*

Jesus, what is it about
the free world that pisses
the rest of the world off?

I don't know.
We have Tupperware parties?

Maybe.

I'll see you tomorrow.

OK.

The President has a cold.

He's canceling
the remainder of this trip

and returning to Washington
on the advice of his doctor.

President Kennedy!

Is it true
you have a cold, sir?

How do you feel,
Mr. President?

Mr. President!

What's the next step going
to be, Mr. President?

Mr. President,

our deliberations have
led us to the conclusion

that a blockade
of offensive weapons to Cuba

is our best option.

A strong showing of support
from the Organization
of American States

would give us
an umbrella of legitimacy.

A blockade is technically
an act of war.

Therefore, we recommend
calling the action

a quarantine.

Let's hope that translates into
Russian the way we want it to.

There are between
20 and 30 Soviet ships

underway to Cuba at this time.

800 miles out, the Navy
will stop them, board,

and any vessels containing weapons
will be turned back.

A quarantine prevents any
more missiles from reaching Cuba,

but it doesn't remove
the missiles already there.

It gives the Soviets a chance
to pull back without a war.

If they refuse
to remove the missiles,

we retain the option
to strike and invade.

A sneak attack would be counter

to what the United States
stands for.

It leaves us no room
to maneuver,

and the inevitable Soviet response
would force us into a war.

Mr. President,
there are still those of us

who believe we should
proceed with the strikes.

Sir, with a blockade,
we lose strategic surprise.

We also run the risk
of the Soviets launching

a first strike against us
if they decide

they have to use
the missiles or lose them.

So, quarantine or air strike.

Ahem. There is a third option.

With either course,

we undertake
the risk of nuclear war.

So it seems to me that
maybe one of us in this room

should be a coward,

So I guess I'll be.

A third course
is to strike a deal.

We trade Guantanamo
and our missiles in Turkey,

get them to pull
their missiles out.

We employ a back channel.

We attribute the idea
to U Thant.

U Thant then raises it
at the U.N.

I don't think
that's possible, Adlai.

I've not yet made
my final decision.

I'll be asking the Networks
for airtime on Monday night.

We'll announce
our course of action then.

Ted, I want you to get
working on speeches

for both quarantine
and air strike.

Well, thank you for
all your advice, gentlemen.

I did hear Adlai.

Jesus, you'd think nobody learned
anything from World War II.

Somebody had to say it.

I respect Adlai for having the guts
to risk looking like an appeaser.

We have to pull him.

He's not going to be able to handle
the Soviets in front of the U.N.

Zorin will eat him alive.

We've got bigger
problems right now.

Ladies?

No, thank you.

Honey, I'll be right back.

Adlai?

Ah. I just can't seem
to get away from you guys.

Escaping for a night
on the town, eh?

As D.C.'s most popular playboy,

the President felt my presence
would be sorely missed, so

in the interest of
National Security, here I am.

Yes, gotta keep up appearances.

Of course, I don't anymore.

I'm a political dead man.

Did you ever see anyone
cut his own throat

like I did today?

No, no.

It's all right.

And by the way,
I spoke to a friend.

Reston and Franco have the story.

The Times is going to
run it tomorrow.

We're not gonna make it to Monday.

Shit.

*We can get Sorenson
to lean on Reston,*

But you're gonna have
to call Orville Dryfoos.

This is the sort of decision
a publisher makes himself.

All right.
Thanks, Kenny.

Yes, sir, I understand,
but, you know, we held
on the Bay of Pigs,

and it was the
biggest mistake of my life.
What makes this different?

Orville, I'm asking you
to hold the story

until I can present our course
of action on Monday night.

All right, but I'm gonna need
a reason to give my boys.

They're gonna be screaming
for my head on a plate.

*Listen, Orville,
you tell them this*

That they'll
be saving lives...

including their own.

Yes, Mr. President.

How many Congressmen
have not responded yet?

14.

*- Boggs is in the Gulf fishing?
- Yes, sir.*

I thought he was supposed
to be campaigning.

*Well, he's not gone for long.*

Jesus. Get a plane out
there and get him back.

He wants to talk to LeMay again.

He's still considering
air strikes.

None of this works tomorrow.

- Figure out how to cancel it.
- Yes, sir.

We're on the phones.

Cam, can you guarantee me
you'll get all the missiles?

Sir, I guarantee we'll get
all the missiles we know about.

Mr. President, we can get
better than 90%of them.

I'll brief the Congressional leadership
tomorrow evening at 5:00.

At 7:00, all United States
Armed Forces worldwide

will stand up to DEFCON 3.

I have a brief statement
to make.

President Kennedy will
address the nation tonight

on radio and television

on a subject of
the highest national urgency.

He has requested airtime
on all 3 Networks for 7 p.m.

Thank you very much.

I am not willing
to support anything

but the toughest possible

Congress cannot give you
the support you're looking for.

Mr. President! Sir?

If they want this goddamn
job, they can have it.

It's no great joy to me.

Mr. President,
here's the speech.

I made those changes you wanted.

- I need a minute.
- Kenny, no.

A minute.

Look, I don't want
a goddamn pep talk.

You're not the Harvard
quarterback anymore.

We're on the brink here!

They're trying to second-guess
me into World War 3.
Well, it's not gonna happen.

- What did you think
Congress was gonna do?
- Well, I...

Offer you
unconditional support?

Kiss your Catholic ass?

They don't think we even
deserve to be here.

Well, what the hell
do you think?

I think we haven't been
that impressive today.

They have good reason
to question our judgment.

What do you want, Kenny?

I want you to sit down.

Well, I'm not going to sit down!

I want you to sit down,

loosen your tie,
and take a minute

I haven't got a minute!

You're the President
of the United States.

They can wait for you.

Well, why not?

Things can't get much worse.

Oh, I don't know.
We could have to...

go down to Lyndon's ranch again
dressed up as cowboys.

Shoot deer out of the back
of his Convertible.

That was a bad day.

You know, I thought
there'd be...

more good days.

You know, back when
we were in the wards,

that day Bobby made me
come down and meet you?

I didn't get you at first.

I thought you were lucky.

Your father had a lot of money.

You were skinny.
Girls loved you.

I thought I could beat
you and Bobby up together.

But he just kept going
on and on about you.

I thought it was because
he was your brother.

But I was wrong.

I was wrong.

You sleeping?

No. Not much.

But I slept last night,
though, you know, and...

Jeez, I...

When I woke up, I just...

Somehow I'd forgotten that
all this had happened, you know?

Then, of course,
I remembered, and...

I just wished for a second
somebody else was President.

You mean that?

I said, for a second.

Boy, there is a lot of noise
out there, Kenny.

You know what you're doing,
Mr. President.

You're going to make
the best call you can,

and you know they're
going to second-guess you.

So what?

We're just gonna have to
take our beatings as we go.

So, what are we
going to do now?

I'm going on TV.

You know, maybe the American
people will go with me.

Even if their...

elected representatives won't.

You wear something
nice for the TV.

Make sure Jackie picks it.

Excuse me.

Oh, right. Thanks, Pierre.
Now, I just changed

OK, everybody,
I think we're ready.

No, I'm fine. Thank you.

Mr. President,
in 5, 4, 3, 2...

Good evening,
my fellow citizens.

This Government, as promised,

has maintained
the closest surveillance

*of the Soviet military buildup
on the island of Cuba.*

*Within the past week,*

*unmistakable evidence
has established the fact*

*that a series
of offensive missile sites*

*is now in preparation
on that imprisoned island.*

*The purpose of these bases
can be none other*

*than to provide
a nuclear strike capability*

*against
the Western Hemisphere.*

*Acting therefore in the defense
of our own security*

*and under the authority entrusted
to me by the Constitution,*

*I have directed
that the following initial steps*

*be taken immediately.*

*First, to halt
this offensive buildup,*

*a strict quarantine on all
offensive military equipment*

*under shipment to Cuba
is being initiated.*

*All ships of any kind,
bound for Cuba,*

*from whatever nation or port,*

*will, if found to contain
cargos of offensive weapons,
be turned back.*

*Second, I have directed
the continued and increased*

*close surveillance of Cuba
and its military buildup,*

*and should these military
preparations continue,*

*further action will be justified.*

*I have directed the Armed Forces
to prepare for any eventualities.*

*And third, it shall be
the policy of this nation*

*to regard any nuclear missile
launched from Cuba*

*against any nation
in the Western Hemisphere*

*as an attack
by the Soviet Union*

*on the United States*

*requiring a full
retaliatory response*

*upon the Soviet Union.*

Good speech, Teddy.

Yeah, well, I guess
I get to keep my job.

No. It was
a really good speech.

I can't imagine what you did
with the air strikes version.

I wasn't able
to write it, Kenny.

It's kind of hard
to write the unthinkable.

I tried. I just...

I couldn't.

We're getting
the Soviet response.

It's coming in on the teletype.

"The community
of nations recognizes

the fundamental right
of freedom of the seas..."

It's horseshit.

I agree.

They don't know how to respond yet.

So now you're Khrushchev.
What do you do?

You run the blockade.

They'll run the blockade.

Which is exactly what they
appear to be preparing to do,
Mr. President.

We're tracking 26 ships
inbound for Cuba.

They show no sign
of changing course.

The closest ships,
the Gagarin and the Kimovsk,

will make the quarantine line
by this time tomorrow.

Admiral Anderson,
if the ships do not stop,

exactly what are
our rules of engagement?

Well, Russian-speaking personnel
have been transferred
to all our ships.

When the quarantine
takes place in the morning,

our ships will attempt
to make radio contact
with the approaching vessels.

They'll be ordered to reduce speed
and standby for inspection.

An inspection team will then
board and search the vessel.

If weapons are found,
the ship will be ordered
out of the quarantine area,

or if they refuse, they'll
be towed into the nearest port.

What happens if
the ship doesn't stop

for inspection
or want to be towed?

We fire a warning shot
across their bow.

And what happens if the ship
ignores the warning shot?

We then fire at its rudder,
disable it, and carry on
our inspection.

There will be no shooting
without my explicit orders.

Is that understood?

Yes, sir.

Well, Admiral, looks like
it's up to the Navy.

The Navy won't let you down, sir.

There's one other thing,
Mr. President.

We're commencing low-level
photography runs over Cuba
this morning.

It'll be more detailed
than the U-2 photography.

This way, we'll be able
to firm up our estimates
of the missiles' readiness

and develop target packages
for strikes,

if you should order them, sir.

To protect our pilots,
we're prepared to retaliate
against any SAM site

or anti-aircraft battery
that may open fire.

We have a flight
of Thunderchiefs

that'll be able to respond
within minutes

to any attacks on our planes.

I got a bad feeling about
what's going on in there.

In the morning, I'm taking
charge of the blockade
from the Situation Room,

and McNamara is going to set up shop
in the flag plot at the Pentagon
and keep an eye on things there.

Good, because you'll
get armed boarders

climbing onto Soviet ships,

with shots being fired
across bows

- Well, what about these
low-level flights?
- We need the flights.

They're starting in what?
An hour.

You realize what you're
letting yourself in for?

We need the flights,
because the minute that first
missile becomes operational,

we gotta go in there
and destroy it.

Fair enough,
but Castro's on alert,

and we're flying attack
planes over their sites

on the deck!

There's no way for them to know
we're carrying cameras, not bombs.

God damn it!

We're going to be shot at,
plain and simple.

I'm your political advisor.

I'm giving you
a political analysis here.

This... This is a set-up.

The Chiefs want to go in.

They need to redeem themselves
for the Bay of Pigs.

They gotta go in this time.
They got to do it right.

I'm going to protect those pilots.

They're boxing us in with
these rules of engagement.

If you agree to them and
one of our planes gets knocked down

or one of the ships
won't stop for inspection,

the Chiefs will have us
by the balls

and will force us
to start shooting.

They want a war, Jack,

and they're arranging
things to get one.

How does a man get to
a place where he can say,

"Throw those lives away,"
so easily?

Maybe it's harder for them
to say than they let on,

but at the very least, they
believe it's in our best interest.

And you know what?

At the end of the day,
they may well end up being right.

Well, I'll tell you one thing,
we're going to have to triple-check

everything the Chiefs say to us

with the guys that
actually have to do it.

And nobody's to know about this,
because lbut Bobby.

I need redundant control
over what happens out there.

And if things
aren't as advertised,

then you're going to
make sure they come out
the way I want them to come out.

- That's gonna be
- Starting with this
low-level flight thing.

That's gonna be tough.

You know how these guys are
about their chains-of-command.

Listen, you tell them
those chains-of-command

end at one place Me.

Go ahead, sir.

Speak up, lady. I cannot hear you.
I got a train to catch,

and I'd like to be home
by Christmas. Yeah?

- That's the one.
- Mr. O'Donnell.

- What's her name?
- Margaret.

- Margaret.
- Give me a break.
I'm doing the best that I can.

Yes, sir. I understand exactly
what you're talking about.

I speak the language, too.
What?

Margaret, would you mind
helping me with something?

What do you need, honey?

That tone of voice specifically.

What tone of voice? What
the hell is he talking about?

I told you, sir
I'm sorry. You're outta here.

Ready Room.

Hey, Skipper,
what are you doin'?

- Lookin' out the door.
- I'll get him for you.

- For what?
- Cuba.

Skipper!

Telephone.

*- Commander Ecker.
- Commander Ecker?*

This is the White House operator.
Please hold for...

Shit.

Honey, you don't know
what shit is.

Commander?
My name's Ken O'Donnell,

Special Assistant
to the President.

Yes, sir.

The President's instructed me
to pass along an order to you.

You are not to get shot down.

Uh... We'll do our best, sir.

I don't think you
understand me, Commander.

You're not to get shot down
under any circumstances.

*Whatever happens up there,
you were not shot at.*

*Mechanical failures are fine.*

Crashing into mountains, fine...

But you and your men
are not to be shot at,

fired at, or launched upon.

Excuse me, sir.
What the hell is going on here?

*Commander,
if you are fired upon,*

The President will be forced to
attack the sites that fire on you.

*He doesn't want
to have to do that.*

It's very important that he doesn't,
or things could go

very badly out of control.

What about my men?

*If we don't have
anybody to protect us,*

*I'm gonna be writing
letters home to parents.*

If the President
protects you, Commander,

he may have to do it
with the bomb.

Now, I've know the man
for 15 years. The problem is...

He will protect you.

So I'm asking,
don't make him protect you.

Don't get shot at.

OK, Mr. O'Donnell,
we'll do what we can.

I know you will.

- Good luck, you guys.
- Find your way back!

Stay close.

Hey, Joey.

- See ya, Joey.
- Thanks, Joey.

Ready to go, Jeremy?

- Hey, Bruce.
- Skipper?

Never mind. Just do what I do.
Hand signs only?

Gotcha.

You are clear
and ready to go, sir!

Good luck, Skipper!

Oh-ho, man! Shit!
Did you see it?

Man, you were lucky, Skipper.

Damn sparrows.
Must've been migrating.

Sparrows?

Probably hit a couple hundred of 'em.
How many did you hit, Bruce?

Sparrows?

A few, I guess.

These, uh, 20 millimeter or
40 millimeter sparrows, sir?

Those are bird strikes.

Sparrows, to be precise.

It's the way it is, guys.

Get that film pack done.

Commander Ecker.

Hello.

*- Sir.
- Commander.*

Mr. O'Donnell, I've been
ordered to deliver the film

to the Pentagon personally.

What's going on here?

The Chiefs must
want to talk to you.

They're gonna want to know
if you were fired on. Were you?

*You could say that, sir.*

Commander, listen to me.

Now, I know this
must fly in the face

of everything
you've come to serve,

but I'm asking you to look
through this to the other side.

Commander William B. Ecker
reporting as ordered.

- Commander.
- Sir.

Put your gear down over here.

Would you like a glass
of water or anything?

No, thank you, sir.

- Sir.
- Commander.

Have a seat.

Now, Commander, I assume
you know why you're here.

Son, I want to know just one thing.

Those bastards shoot
so much as a BB gun at you?

It was a cakewalk, sir.

Mr. President,

the O. A.S. Meeting
starts in less than an hour.

Well, good. I think
we need this one, Dean.

We can't expect miracles.

Listen, the quarantine
is legal if we get a mandate.

Otherwise, it's an act of war
in the eyes of the world,

so you gotta get me the vote,

and, you know, make it unanimous.

Mr. President, the Organization
of American States

hasn't had a unanimous vote

Unanimous... Dean.

In accordance with
this afternoon's vote

at the Organization
of American States,

the quarantine
will hereby be effective

as of 10:00 tomorrow morning.

*At 8 a.m. This morning,*

*the United States
detonated a hydrogen bomb*

*above Johnston Island
in the South Pacific.*

*The blast was quickly condemned
by the Soviet Union,*

*who called upon all nations
to denounce the United States*

*for bringing the world
to the brink of destruction.*

Who the hell
authorized this test?

Christ, what is this gonna
say to the Russians?

They look warlike?

Jesus Christ. We're
lighting off nuclear weapons

like it's our own private
Fourth of July.

You know what we should have done?

We should've brought in the guys
from the Atomic Energy Commission

and talked this through,
you know?

Looked at these tests
a little harder before

just givin' the go-ahead.

You know, last summer I read
a book, "The Guns of August".

I wish every man on that
blockade line had read that book.

It's World War I,
13 million killed.

It was all because
the militaries of both alliances

believed they were
so highly attuned

to one another's movements
and dispositions,

they could predict
one another's intentions,

but all their theories
were based on the last war,

and the world
and technology had changed,

and those lessons
were no longer valid,

but it was all they knew,
so the orders went out.

Couldn't be rescinded.

The man in the field,
his family at home,

they couldn't even tell you
the reasons why their lives
were being destroyed.

But why couldn't they stop it?

What could they have done?

Here we are 50 years later.

If one of their ships
resists the inspection

and we shoot out
its rudder and board,

they shoot down one
of our planes in response,

so we bomb their anti-aircraft sites.
In response to that...

They attack Berlin.

So we invade Cuba.

Then they fire their missiles.

And we fire ours.

Helen, I want you to keep
the kids close tomorrow.

I want you to leave the TV on.

I want you to sleep
with it on in the bedroom

until I call you and tell you
you can turn it off.

*What's happened?*

Nothing. Nothing you don't
already know about.

Just have the car
ready to go in case I call...

or the Civil Defense Warning
comes on.

*What happens to you?*

I'm not leaving without you.

I'll be evacuated
with the President.

Great.

Great.

And while you're under a rock
somewhere with the President,

what am I supposed to do
with our 5 children, Kenny?

Honey, we're not gonna
let it come to that.

I promise.

*Jack and Bobby, they're...*

They're smart guys.

You're smart, too.

Not like them.

Well, hi, Ken.

Helen just asked me
what sort of arrangements

we have for the families.

Yeah, I just checked that myself.

They're being issued
identity cards,

and the call comes,
evacuation officers

meet them at
pre-arranged departure areas.

They go by helicopter
to Mount Weather.

We meet them there.

Of course, that's for morale.

Missiles only take
5 minutes to get here.

The President has
asked Jackie and the children
to come back from the country

and be with him.

You know those pictures
upstairs?

Pictures of Lincoln?

He looked so old near the end.

When we got here,
I said,

"It's not gonna
happen to us."

We were too young.

Why don't you go home tonight?

Go on home.

No. It's too much trouble
to get the car.

Ken, we can get your car
in 15 minutes.

- No.
- Go ahead.

No.

I'll let her sleep.

I'll let 'em sleep.

*It almost seemed today
as if time stood still.*

*The shooting
hadn't started yet,*

*but there weren't any
really encouraging signs*

*that it could be avoided,*

*but worried, alarmed,
afraid, perhaps even,*

*the American public,
nonetheless,*

*appeared determined and resolved.*

*This is Walter Cronkite.*

*Good night.*

Paper?

- Yeah, thanks.
- Here you go, sir.

Gentlemen, can you hear me?

Yes, we can hear you fine.

I've got one minute
till 10:00 here.

*The quarantine commences
in one minute.*

And no sign of them stopping.

Sir.

Quarantine is now in effect.

And it looks like
our first customers

are the Gagarin and Kimovsk.

Chief, I've got something
at zero-three-zero.

X.O., take a look at this.

New contact, Skipper.

What do we got?

A Russian sub.

General Quarters,
General Quarters!

All hands
man your battle stations!

*General Quarters,
General Quarters!*

*All hands,
man your battle stations!*

*General Quarters,
General Quarters!*

*All hands,
man your battle stations!*

Bracket 231 correlates to
our submarine at 9,000 yards.

It's protecting the freighters.

Bob, is there any way

we can avoid stopping
a submarine first?

I'm afraid not, Mr. President.

The sub has positioned itself
between the Pierce
and the Soviet ships.

*Admiral Anderson insists
it's too much of a risk*

*to proceed with stopping
the freighters.*

*The Pierce would be
a sitting duck for the sub.*

*- Put me through to the Pierce.
- Yes, sir.*

Admiral Anderson!

The President wishes
to speak directly to
the Captain of the Pierce.

Is that a problem?

No, it isn't, sir.

He's putting you through, sir.

*Sir, I'm patching you
through to the bridge now.*

This is the Captain
of the Pierce.

Captain, this is
the President speaking.

Mr. President.

*Is there any way*

you can force that sub
to the surface without
damaging it or yourself?

I can bring it up, Mr. President,

but whether it's damaged
or not is up to the sub.

Even if they do force it up,

that sub will be inspected
over the crew's dead bodies.

They'd be executed for
allowing it when they got home.

Captain, force the sub
to the surface.

*Yes, Mr. President.*

- Prepare to fire torpedoes.
- Prepare to fire torpedoes.
Aye, sir.

- Prepare to launch ASROC.
- Prepare to launch ASROC.
Aye, sir.

Watch your fingers!

Watch your fingers.

What are they up to?

They're slowing down.

Mr. Secretary,

I'm receiving reports.
The Russian ships appear
to be stopping.

Mr. President,

*Reports are coming
in here to the Pentagon*

*that the ships
appear to be stopping.*

Captain, belay that order.
Belay that order!

Hold your fire!

- Bob, where's that coming from?
- One second, Mr. President.

Somebody find out
what's going on.

Those ships
are definitely stopping.

Some are turning around.

Are they stopping?

I don't know what
the hell they're doing.

Admiral. Admiral,
what's happening!

Yes, sir, they are stopping.

Mr. President,

reports are coming in
from all around.

The ships are stopping.

Some are turning around.

Some are turning around.

We were eyeball to eyeball,

and I think
the other fella just blinked.

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.
We have that information.

Mr. President.
Mr. President, sir.

We have the tally from NSA.

We have 20 ships stopping
and /or turning around.

6, however, appear to be
continuing for the line.

It's a, uh, it's a mistake.

They must not have gotten
their orders yet. I'd-let 'em go.

No. That's unlikely, Bobby.

We' ve been monitoring
the radio transmissions

from the Gagarin and the Kimovsk.

Their radios are working
just fine, Mr. President.

One ship, an accident maybe.

6, Mr. President?
This is intentional.

*Mr. President, let 'em go.*

Oh, you're still here, Bob?

*4 of the 6 continuing ships*

*are still a day
away from the line.*

They've stopped the ones
we suspect have weapons aboard.

We'd look pretty bad shooting up
a freighter full of baby food.

We sure as shit would.

Captain, I want you to maintain
contact with those ships

and do nothing until I order
otherwise. Is that clear?

Yes, Mr. President.

Contact only.

*At its beginning,
this day looked*

*as though it might be
one of armed conflict*

*between Soviet vessels
and American warships*

*on the sea lanes leading to Cuba.*

Find out how close
our exercises are coming

to their anti-ship missiles.

God damn it!

How the goddamn hell
did this happen?

I'm gonna have Powers' head
on a platter...

Next to LeMay's.

Kenny, you hear me give the order
to go to DEFCON 2?

Because I remember giving the order
to go to DEFCON 3,

but I must be
suffering from amnesia.

I've just been informed
our nuclear forces are at DEFCON 2.

They were limited, Mr. President.

- The orders were limited
to our strategic forces...
- Max!

...in the continental United States.

General LeMay is correct.

Technically, SAC has
the statutory authority

I have the authority!

I am the Commander in Chief
of the United States,

and I say when we go to war.

We're not at war, sir
Not until DEFCON one.

General, the Joint Chiefs

have just signaled our intent
to escalate to the Soviets.

You signaled an escalation
which I had no wish to signal,

and which I did not approve.

Just get out of here, Max.

Yes, sir.

Rescind the order.
Can all the Chiefs.

Put Nitze, Gilpatrick and
the Under Secretaries in charge.

- Can't do that, Bobby.
- Yes, we can.

We can't fire the Chiefs, Bobby.

Our invasion talk
would look like a bluff.

Or even worse, that
there's been an attempted coup.

Jesus.

Kenny, give me...

a couple minutes
alone with Bobby, would you?

JustJust try this on
for size.

We get a hold
of Walter Lippmann,

And we leak the idea of

pulling our Jupiter missiles
out of Turkey,

and the Soviets pull
their missiles out of Cuba.

Act through the U.N.!

K and K must talk!

End the arms race,
not the human race!

Kenny.

Mac.

What did you think of
the Lippmann column this morning?

I think it's a bad idea.

Thank God. Look,
everybody's furious about it.

We trade away our missiles in Turkey,
and we're dead, politically.

You' ve got to stop it.

We know it was Jack and Bobby's idea.
They leaked it to Lippmann.

The military guys
are going ape

Then they should speak up.

Christ, Ken,
it's not that easy.

- It is.
- No, it isn't.

They don't trust the people
who feel this way,

but these people are right,
and the Kennedys are wrong.

We need you to talk to them.

They'll listen to you.

Jack and Bobby are good men,
but it takes a certain

You mean the President
of the United States?

And the Attorney General?

Kenny, they are good men,
but it takes a certain character,

moral toughness,
to stand up to the Soviets.

You listen to me.

You're in the White House
right now because of the Kennedys.

Now, they may be wrong,
they make mistakes,

but they are not weak.

The weak ones are these people
who can't seem to speak
their own minds.

You know I don't mean
that they're weak.

No, they just lack
a moral toughness.

Jesus Christ, Mac.

YouYou think I'll
play your Judas for you?

You've never understood us,
your kind.

We've been fighting
with each other our whole lives,

but nobody plays us
off each other,

and nobody ever, ever
gets between us!

It's a goddamn
trial balloon, Kenny.

Well, then somebody
better publicly deny it,

'cause there's only one way
the world's gonna read this.

We sell out one of our friends
for our own safety.

Exactly.

Jesus Christ,
they're just killing us.

*...and enter into negotiations*

*in order to normalize
this confrontation*

*and avert the threat
of a World War.*

What is it
that Sun Tzu says?

War's a moral contest,
and they're won in the temples
before they're ever fought.

*...this enormous danger
for all mankind*

*which exist at this moment...*

It's right here. It's right here.
This is where we turn it around.

You call Adlai,

you tell him to stick it
to this son of a bitch.

*...diplomatic resolution.*

*The U.S. Believes that
with their economic boycott,*

*by pressuring other countries*

*to cease trade with Cuba,*

*we would surrender
due to hunger.*

*How does it feel,
Mr. President,*

*to be this heroic*

*and force a country
to surrender...*

Am I still on hold here?

They're trying
to find him right now.

Ken, Adlai's too weak.

We have to convince Jack to
pull him. Get McCloy in there.

You can't take him out
this late in the game, Bobby.

Zorin will eat him alive.

Then talk to your brother,
god damn it.

The two of you don't need
my advice to get into trouble.

What's gotten into you?

Are you still sore about
this Lippmann thing?

That's something your father
would have done right there.

My father?

I'm just trying to make a point.

This idea is that fucking bad.

Adlai can handle Zorin.
He knows the inning,
he knows the score.

He better,

because nobody believes
he's up to this

Nobody.

Yes?

*- Adlai?
- Yes.*

It's Ken. How you doing?

I'm busy, Ken.
What do you need?

The President told me
to pass a word to you.

Stick it to them.

*Cuba together...*

I hear you.
I'm glad it's you calling.

LI thought
it would be Bobby.

Adlai, the world has
to know we're right.

If we're gonna have a chance
at a political solution,

we need international pressure.

You got to be tough, Adlai.

You need to find it, Buddy.

*Well, if they're still sticking*

to their stonewalling strategy,

I'll get them.

I'm an old political cat,
Kenny...

*But I've got one life left.*

I know you do.

See you, Ken.

*We'll be able to find together
a proper...*

Bobby.

We call upon the world

to condemn this purely
American provocation.

We, the people of Romania,

are standing in solidarity

with the people of
the Republic of Cuba
and the revolution

in the face of this
American threat to world peace.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

We're very glad that you could
join us, Mr. Stevenson.

For the last 2 hours,

the entire world here
is asking only questions.

The United States
is pushing the entire world

to the brink of catastrophe.

The people of the whole world
want to know why.

*We are told again and again*

*about some
incontrovertible evidence*

*of offensive weapons in Cuba...*

*But no evidence
can be shown to us.*

Perhaps your spy planes
are so secret

that you are simply incapable

*to present such evidence.
Some planes.*

I make the call,
Adlai is out. McCloy goes in.

Let's just hope
it doesn't come to that.

*...simply don't have
such evidence.*

Perhaps the United States
of America is simply mistaken.

*Yes, the United States
of America*

*does not have any facts in hands,
only falsifications.*

John, get ready to send
your staffer in.

He's gonna be coming out.

The Chair recognizes
the representative from
the United States of America.

Well, let me say something
to you, Mr. Ambassador.

We do have the evidence.

*We do have it, and it is clear
and incontrovertible.*

*And let me say something else.*

*Those weapons
must be taken out of Cuba.*

*You, the Soviet Union,
have created this new danger...*

Come on, Adlai.

*Not the United States.*

*Mr. Zorin, I remind you
that the other day*

you did not deny
the existence of these weapons,

but today, again,
if I have heard you correctly,

you now say they do not exist.

*All right, sir, let me
ask you one simple question.*

Come on, Adlai,
don't let him off.

*Do you, Ambassador Zorin,*

deny that the USSR
has placed and is placing

medium and intermediate-range
missiles in sites in Cuba?

Yes or no?

*Don't wait for the translation.*

*Yes or no?*

Yeah.

I am not
in the American courtroom,

and I do not wish to respond
to questions...

questions that a prosecutor
would put to the defendant.

You will get...

all the answers
to your questions

as this session progresses.

You are in a courtroom
of world opinion right now,

and you can answer yes or no.

*You have denied they exist, and
I want to know if I have
understood you correctly.*

*Continue
Continue your statement.*

You will get your answers
in due course.

Don't worry. Don't worry.

*I'm prepared to wait for my answer
until Hell freezes over,*

*if that's what is needed.*

John, I'll get back to you.

*I'm also prepared to present
the evidence in this room*

*proving that the Soviet Union*

*has lied to the world.*

If you have decided not
to continue your statement,

the Chair recognizes
the representative from Chile.

I yield my time on the floor

to the representative
of the United States.

Well, then,
ladies and gentlemen,

since it appears we're going
to be here for a while,

*shall we have a look at what
the Soviets are doing in Cuba?*

May we have
the presentation, please?

Ladies and gentlemen,
if you will observe
in photograph "a"...

Yeah. Yeah.

*...taken approximately
August 29...*

Old Adlai had it
in him after all.

Zorin must not have
gotten instructions.

Somebody in their Foreign Ministry
is blowing it big time.

*In photograph "b",
we have October 14th.
The photograph taken then...*

Mr. President.

*There are at least 3 missile sites
being constructed.*

*There are bunkers...*

The ship is called the Grozny.

We lost track of it
yesterday at nightfall.

We thought we gave it
plenty of room when we
moved the quarantine line back.

We just reacquired it.

It crossed the line
hours ago.

*Well, how the hell do you
lose a goddamn tanker?*

*What the hell's going on
over there?*

Hail 'em again.

I want you to try 'em again.

We are kidding ourselves.

New coordinates for the Pierce.

Pierce coordinates,
25 degrees, 30 minutes north,

78 degrees, 10 minutes west.

Not responding, Chief.

Tell the Skipper.

They're not responding, sir.

*General Quarters,
General Quarters!*

*All hands,
man your battle stations.*

*All hands,
man your battle stations.*

Very well. Load your guns.

Guns are loaded, sir.

What was that, Admiral?

We've been hailing the Grozny
for the last hour, Mr. Secretary.

The Grozny refuses to stop.

What are you doing?

Carrying out our mission,
Mr. Secretary.

Now, if you don't mind,
we're very busy right now.

We need to be able
to do our jobs.

Admiral, I asked you a question.

We're going to follow
the rules of engagement

The rules of engagement
which the President has
approved and signed

in his order of 23 October.

Yes.

Yes, you may proceed,
Captain.

- Clear your guns.
- What?

Damn it!

- Stop that firing!
- What?

Stop that firing!

Cease fire. Cease fire!

God help us.

- The ship was firing star shells.
- What?

Star shells! Flares,
Mr. Secretary.

God damn it! I've got
a job to do here.

Now, you've been camped out
out there since Monday night.

You're tired, you're exhausted,
and you're making mistakes.

You interfere with me and
you will get some of my men killed,

and I will not allow that!

Star shells.

Get out of our way,
Mr. Secretary.

The Navy's been
running blockades

since the days
of John Paul Jones.

I believe the President
made it clear

that there will be no firing on ships
without his express permission.

With all due respect,
Mr. Secretary,

we were not firing on that ship.

What the hell was that?

Firing on a ship
means attacking a ship.

We were not attacking
that ship.

We were firing over it.

That was not the President's
intention when he gave that order.

What if the Soviets
don't see the distinction?

What if they make
the same mistake I just made?

There will be no firing anything
near any Soviet ships

without my express permission.

Now is that understood,
Admiral?

Is it?!

Yes, sir.

And I will only issue
such instructions

when ordered to
by the President.

John Paul Jones!

You don't understand a thing,
do you, Admiral?

This isn't a blockade!

This is language
A new vocabulary

the likes of which the world
has never seen.

This is President Kennedy

communicating
with Secretary Khrushchev.

Well, who the hell
authorized this missile test?

Who do you think?

God knows what this is gonna
communicate to the Soviets.

Communicate with the Soviets?

We can't communicate
with the Pentagon,

and it's just across
the goddamn river.

LeMay must think
you're afraid of him.

I'm not taking that bait.

The right move here
is to move on.

*The United States Destroyer
Joseph P. Kennedy...*

*This is the point*

*at which we are concerned*

*that there
might be shooting*

*among the ships at sea,*

*the possibility that invasion
might have to be undertaken*

*to assure that those bases
are eliminated.*

*If invasion is undertaken,*

*the Russians have said
that they would retaliate*

*with rocket fire.*

*We have said if there's
rocket fire from Cuba,*

*we will retaliate,*

*and there goes
the whole ballgame.*

Kenny.

What's this?

Can anyone just
walk in here now?

Ken, don't worry. I'm not
here to do an interview.

Well, if you're looking
for a cup of sugar, John,
you got the wrong door.

Kenny, we need to see
the President.

Something's happened.

*The point of the crisis...
This is the point at which...*

I have lunch with him,
maybe once a month.

The way he talks, he acts like
he knows Khrushchev personally,

but he's never elaborated.

I've used him as a source
in a couple of stories.

The FBI has identified
this Alexander Fomin

as the Soviet resident,

um, the KGB equivalent
of one of our Station Chiefs.

He's their highest-ranking
spy in this country,

and he knows John's
a friend of mine.

All the trademarks of
a back-channel overture.

Yeah. Some back channel.

ABC News guy, my goddamn
next-door neighbor.

So they'll remove the missiles,

and we'll pledge not to
invade Cuba or destabilize Castro

or assist anyone
who plans in doing so.

I think this may be our
first real message from Khrushchev.

The alternative,
Mr. President, is that

this could be a trap.

Mm-hmm.
And how is that exactly?

Dangle a settlement.

Tie us down in negotiation.
We come up short.

Why else would they
approach us this way?

It's deniable.

The Soviets have done
nothing but lie to us.

This could just be
more of the same.

That may be why Khrushchev's
introducing this guy.

We've been burned
by his usual players
in the formal channels,

so he brings in
an honest broker.

That may be what
they want us to think.

The truth is, Mr. President,

we don't even really know
who Fomin speaks for.

It could be Khrushchev.

It could be some faction
of the Politburo

or the KGB itself.
We just don't know.

Oh, by the way, Scali,
your activities now fall under

the secrecy codicils
of the National Security Act.

Sorry, John. No Pulitzer.

Mr. President,
we haven't much time.

I'm scheduled to meet
with him again in 31/2 hours.

So it seems
the question of the day is,

is the offer legitimate?

And if it is...

Well, if it is,
we can't afford to ignore it.

So, John...

We'll have instructions
for you

in a couple of hours.

Thank you.

Thank you, John.

Sir, we don't have much time to
play out back-channel communiqués.

Kenny.

I need you to get over
to your old stomping grounds

and go through everything
the FBI has on Fomin,

And I need your best call
Is the guy legit,

and is he speaking
for Khrushchev?

OK, so what we got here is
this guy Alexander Feklisov,
aka Alexander Fomin,

declared Counsel
to the Soviet Embassy,

but in reality
the KGB Papa spy.

An illustrious tour of duty
during the Great Patriotic War

gets him
on the Party fast track.

Various tours of duty in KGB.

American postings.
He's an expert on us,

and that is all that
we got on Papa spy.

How do you become the KGB
top spy in the United States?

You gotta know someone.

You gotta know someone.

So, politics is politics.

Walter, get me
Khrushchev's files.

Pass me that.

I want to see their career
chronology side by side.

- We know they're not related, right?
- Right.

They're not from
the same hometown.

They went
to different schools.

Right.

So if they were gonna meet,

they should have met here.

I think they could have met.

They couldn't have.

He was an engineer stationed
outside of Moscow
at the end of '41.

That's it.

They know each other.
They're war buddies.

That's pretty thin, Kenny.

Well, real life
usually is, Walter.

They know each other, Jack.

Khrushchev and Fomin
were war buddies.

You sure?

*Don't take it to court,
but we've got*

good circumstantial evidence.

Well, you're there. I mean,
what's your instinct?
I gotta move on this.

My gut's telling me
that Khrushchev's turning

to a trusted old friend
to carry his message.

OK. We're going.

I've been instructed
to tell you

that the American Government
would respond favorably

to an offer along the lines
that you have discussed.

If such a solution were raised
at the U.N. By Ambassador Zorin,

he would find a favorable reply
from Ambassador Stevenson.

So, I understand you correctly.

If the missiles in Cuba
were dismantled,

returned to the Soviet Union

and a guarantee was made
not to reintroduce them,

the United States
would be prepared

to guarantee that
it would never invade Cuba?

That is correct.

And this is from
the Highest Authority?

Yes, the Highest Authority.

There are 2 conditions.

The U.N. Must be allowed to inspect
the removal of the missiles.

Of course, the U.N.
Must also be allowed

to observe the redeployment

of forces from
the American Southeast.

I can't speak to that.

What's the second
condition, John?

Time is of the essence.

How much time?

48 hours.

In 48 hours,
there can be no deals.

Hoo hoo.

I'll see what I can do.

I think it's very difficult to
make a decision from this document.

Well, it looks to me like
Fomin's overture was genuine.

That's a big "if," Bobby.

It's 10 pages
of sentimental fluff,

but he's saying it right here.

He'll remove the missiles

in return for
a no-invasion pledge.

Mm-hmm. Mr. President,
our early analysis says

this probably was written
by Khrushchev himself.

It's a first draft.
It shows no signs

of being polished
by the Foreign Ministry.

In fact, it probably wasn't
even approved by the Politburo

as they wouldn't let
the emotionalism go by.

The analysts say it
was written by someone

under considerable stress.

Glad to know we're not alone.

Well, it never was my intention
to invade Cuba anyway...

Until they put
the missiles in there.

Gentlemen, I think

we should
seriously consider this deal.

- Hi.
- Hi.

You look old, O'Donnell.

You don't.

It's 2:30 in the morning.

You flirting with me?

We got a back-channel communication
from Khrushchev this evening,

feeling us out about a deal.

He confirmed it

just a little while ago
in a letter.

Thank God.

Jack kicked us out of
his house for the night.

Darn it.

For a second there,
I thought you'd been fired.

No such luck.

You know,
I'm driving home...

there was something
I wanted to tell you.

Finish that thought.

Yes?

*Kenny, it's Bob. We're getting
another letter over the teletype*

*from Khrushchev.
I have a bad feeling.*

Ok, I'll be right there.

You're beautiful.

It looks like Fomin
was a ploy after all,

and they were just
stalling for time.

It gets worse.

Gentlemen,
my specialists are in agreement.

This morning's letter
is not Khrushchev.

Last night's letter was.

The evidence supports
only one conclusion.

There's been a coup, and
Khrushchev was replaced overnight.

Dean?

At the very least,
it does suggest

he's been co-opted
by hard-line elements.

Which at the end of the day,
amounts to the same thing.

A puppet Khrushchev

and a hard-line Soviet Government
pulling the strings.

No deal, and the missiles
are almost operational.

What if the Soviets
have no intention of
honoring this second deal?

Then tomorrow,
they make another condition.

Meanwhile,
the quarantine isn't working,

and they're completing work
on the missile sites.

Sir, I think we have to issue
pre-invasion orders for our forces.

Mr. President,

this morning's
photography is in.

It appears the Soviets
have commenced

a crash program
to ready their missiles.

The first missiles became
operational last night.

We expect they'll all
be operational in 36 hours.

Then we're out of time.
We have to go in.

That may not be as easy
as we thought, either.

We have gotten confirmation

the Soviets
have also deployed

battlefield
nuclear weapons to Cuba.

FROGs, we call 'em.
Short-range tactical nukes.

Now, we don't know
whether they've delegated

release authority
to their local commanders

for use on
our invasion troops,

but the good news is,

as of this moment,
we know where the FROGs are,

and we can target them, too.

But the longer we wait,

the harder it's going to get.

We have no choice.

General,
issue orders to our forces

to be prepared to execute
the air strikes Monday morning.

And the follow-on invasion

according to
the schedule thereafter.

I'll need
the official release orders
on my desk on Sunday night.

Understood, sir.

We'll need to step up
our overflights,

finalize our pilots'
target folders

in order to carry out
the strikes.

- Permission granted.
- Yes, sir.

Well, gentlemen,

if anybody's got
any great ideas, now's the time.

Major Anderson, there's
a phone call for you.

Thank you.

All right. Give me
just a second here, guys.

This is Major Anderson.

Hello?

*Hello, anyone there?*

*- Major?
- Yes, sir?*

My name is Kenneth O'Donnell,
Special Assistant to the President.

*Major, a few days ago,
the President ordered me*

to help him keep control

of what's going on out there.

I've beenI've been
browbeating pilots,

you know, Navy guys
left and right

to make sure you don't get us
here in Washington into trouble.

*But you know what?*

We're pretty damn good ourselves
at getting into trouble,

so instead of
riding your ass,

I'm just gonna tell you
what's going on here
and let you figure out

*how best to help us out up here.*

Go ahead, sir.

*Last night, it, uh...*

*Iooked like we were
going to cut a deal to
get us all out of this mess.*

Today, the Soviets
are reneging.

We're gonna try and
salvage the situation, but

a lot of things
are going wrong today.

*It's making everyone nervous.*

*And when things go wrong,*

*people will become
more nervous,*

and it will be very hard
to avoid going to war.

I'm not sure what you're
tying to tell me, sir.

*Just my standard line*

I've been repeating
to guys like you all week.

Don't get shot down.

Beyond that, whatever else
you can do to help us
I'd appreciate it.

Sir...

When you're at 72,000 feet,

there's a million things
that can go wrong. I mean,

*Is your oxygen mix right?
Are your cameras gonna freeze up?*

*Are you leaving a contrail?
Those million things,*

*they're beyond
your control mostly.*

But...

*You know,
when you realize that,*

*there's a kind of peace,
you know?*

If you're a good man and
if your ground crew are good men,

that is all you can ask for.

With the grace of God,
that'll get you through.

Are you a religious man?

Yes, sir, I am.

Good.

The plane is missing, Kenny.

We are presuming
the pilot is dead.

Well, it's hard to believe,

with the Soviet centralized
command structure,

that this could've been
an accidental launch.

The question is, does
this attack on our plane

represent a definitive
intentional escalation

on the part of the Soviets?

Mr. President,

taken with the events
of the past few hours,

I believe this confirms
our worst fears.

We're now dealing with
a hard-line Soviet Government,

Perhaps with Khrushchev
as a puppet head, perhaps not.
We don't know.

You OK?

Yeah.

I'm fine.

Mr. President...

What now?

A U-2 on a routine
air-sampling mission

got lost and penetrated
Soviet airspace over Siberia.

Oh, God damn it!

Soviets scrambled MIGs in pursuit,
thinking it was a bomber.

Got out OK.

Somebody forgot
to cancel the mission.

You know, there's always
some son of a bitch who
doesn't get the word.

You know, this is
just what we need.

Soviets thinking
we're bombing them.

Anybody else?

Mr. President,

our pilots are in danger.

We must order punitive air strikes
against the SAM site

that shot down Major Anderson

per our rules of engagement.

No.

I want confirmation it wasn't
some sort of accident first.

Mr. President.

I think that's
a good idea, Mr. President.

I can wait a day and a half.

Be safer for my boys to
get the SAMs on Monday

when we get the rest
of the bastards.

Hut... hut!

Yeah, yeah.

Break!

That's the quarter.

- Hey, Dad.
- Hey, Sport.

- You winning?
- Yeah.

Is everything
gonna be OK, Dad?

Everything's gonna
be fine, Kenny.

I guess you won't
be coming home tonight.

I, uh...

l

Let's go!
Second quarter!

It's OK. Go on back
to your game.

All right.
I'll see you around, Dad.

First down!

Break!

Damn it!

Jesus, Mary and Joseph!

Take off for 2 hours,
you're gonna miss a little drama.

I told you how stupid it was
to float that Lippmann article.

Now you're gonna
do it for real?

The Jupiters
are obsolete, Kenny.

They were supposed
to have been dismantled

I know they're obsolete!
That's not the point.

The point is, you trade
our missiles in Turkey
for theirs in Cuba,

they're gonna force us
into trade after trade,

until finally,
a couple of months from now,

they demand something
we won't trade, like Berlin,

and we do end up in a war.

Not to mention that
long before that happens,

this administration
will be politically dead.

I don't care
if this administration

ends up in the freaking toilet!

We don't do a deal tonight,
there won't be any administration.

It's the wrong move, Bobby,

and it's not just me
who thinks that.

Everyone on this
so-called EXCOM is telling
you exactly the same thing.

Well, whose side
are you on now, Ken?

Oh... God damn it.

What if there hasn't
been a coup at all?

What if it's you two?

- What is that supposed to mean?
- What if it was you two

who invited that second letter
by raising the possibility
of a trade?

Mr. President, we have
only 30 hours left,

and whatever response we send,

it will take several
hours for the wire

to be received by our Embassy
and delivered to the Kremlin.

So we're looking at
early tomorrow morning

at the earliest before
Khrushchev can respond.

Which one of you geniuses

is gonna tell me
how to explain it to the world

if we don't make this trade?

So, what are we gonna
say to the Soviets

about this offer?

Well, it depends,
doesn't it? I mean,

Do we really believe
there's been a coup?

What if Fomin wasn't a ploy?

What if his message was real?

What if what is happening
is a series of accidents?

Accidents like them
shooting down our U-2?

Yes, accidents like that.

And the accident's
making the second letter
seem more aggressive

and the whole situation
appear worse than it really is.

- "The Guns of August".
- That's right.

So we just reject
the second letter?

No. No, no.

We don't reject it.

We accept the first letter

and pretend the second
letter doesn't exist.

It won't work because
that's wishful thinking!

He made an offer, so l

That's the same
wishful thinking, Bobby,

that blinded us
all these months

while the Soviets were sneaking
those missiles in under our noses.

Ignore the second letter,

agree to the conditions
of the first.

There's no reason to believe
the Soviets will let it go.

Max is right.
Why will they accept it?

It can work if

If they believe
we're gonna hit 'em,

and hit 'em hard.
We've got time

for one more round
of diplomacy, and that's it.

The first air strikes
start in 28 hours.

But we have to make
them agree to it.

Right. So how do we do that?

Well, we give them something.

We tell 'em we're gonna remove
the missiles from Turkey

Hang on!

But we do that
6 months from now,

so it appears
there's no linkage.

We also tell 'em if they go
public about it, we'll deny it.

Right. We deny it.
The deal's off.

And we do it under the table,
so we can disavow
any knowledge of it.

It's transparent, Kenny.
The press'll be all over it.

6 months from now, we're
not gonna care, are we?

We'll deal with it then.

At the least, it'll expose whether
Khrushchev has been overthrown.

We'll know who
we're up against.

Well, I've been thinking
about Khrushchev,

and if this is
a move to appease

the hard-liners
in his Government,

then it may be
just the bone he needs

to regain control
of his own house.

Whoever carries the message
has to hit the nail on the head.

Come across as too soft,
they'll push us.

Too hard, they'll be cornered,
and even more dangerous.

All of you

All of you do understand

that there is an enormous risk
in offering this deal.

Because if they turn us down,
and we've already told them

that we're coming in
on Monday morning...

- They'll strike first.
- Yes.

Bobby.

You know Dobrynin best.

Yeah.

Then you're it.

Ted, I want you to
start working on the draft.

And, Bobby, you gotta go in there.
You gotta make them understand

that we have to have
an answer tomorrow,

because Monday we go to war.

What do you want?
A good-bye kiss?

Hey, Joe, listen.
I'll take care of him.

Go on inside. Grab some coffee.
We'll be back pretty quick.

- Are you sure?
- Sure.

What's the matter with you?

Forget how to open
a car door?

Jesus.

You rich people.

I promised the girls
I'd take them riding tomorrow.

Make sure
you keep that date.

We gave up so much to get here.

I don't know. Sometimes I think,
what the hell did we do it for?

Well, I don't know
about you, but

I'm in it for the money.

We knew we could do
a better job than everyone else.

Remember?

You know, I...

lI hate being called
the brilliant one,

the ruthless one...

The guy everybody's afraid of.

I hate it.

I'm not so smart, you know?

I'm not so ruthless.

Well, you're right
about the smart part.

I don't know if I can do this.

There's nobody else
I'd rather have going in there

than you

Nobody else
I'd trust Helen and...

the kids' lives to.

Take a left.

You smell that?

They're burning
their documents.

They think we're going to war.

God help us, Ken.

Sir, Ambassador Dobrynin
is already here.
He's waiting in your office.

Here.

I'll whistle up
some luck for you.

Mr. Ambassador. Thank you.

Who are you?

A friend.

My brother, my friends,
my countrymen, and I

cannot and will not permit

those missiles
to become operational.

I promise you that.

Then I fear our 2 nations
will go to war...

And I fear
where war will lead us.

If the missiles do not
become operational,

if you remove the missiles,

then there will be no war.

At this moment, the President
is accepting the terms

of Secretary Khrushchev's
letter of Friday night.

If the Soviet Union
halts construction immediately,

removes the missiles,
and submits to U.N. Inspection,

the United States will pledge

to never invade Cuba or
aid others in that enterprise.

If your Jupiter missiles in Turkey
were removed also,

such an accommodation
could be reached.

That's not possible.

The United States cannot
agree to such terms under threat.

Any belief to the contrary
was in error.

You want war?

However...

While there can be
no quid pro quo on this issue,

the United States can offer
a private assurance.

Now, our Jupiter missiles
in Turkey are obsolete

and have been scheduled
for withdrawal for some time.

This withdrawal should take place
within, say, 6 months.

Of course,
any public disclosure

of this assurance
would negate the deal

and produce the most stringent
denials from our Government.

This private assurance

represents the word
of the Highest Authority?

Yes.

And it can be relayed beyond
Comrade Khrushchev's ears

to the top circles
of my Government?

Our pledge can be relayed
to any Government officials

Secretary Khrushchev
sees fit to satisfy,

with the caveat that
it is not to be made public

in any way, shape, or form.

And we must have
an answer tomorrow,

at the latest.

I cannot stress
this point enough.

Tomorrow?

Tomorrow.

Then you must excuse me
and permit me to relay

the substance of our discussion
to my superiors.

Of course.

We have heard stories that
some of your military men
wish for war.

You're a good man.

Your brother is a good man.

I assure you
there are other good men.

Let us hope
the will of good men

is enough to counter
the terrible strength

of this thing
that was put in motion.

What's going to happen?

If the sun comes up tomorrow,

it is only because
of men of good will.

And that's...

That's all there is
between us and the Devil.

*This is Radio Moscow.*

*Premier Khrushchev
has sent a message*

*to President Kennedy today.*

*The Soviet Prime Minister
reemphasizes*

*the need for urgent measures
to prevent a fatal turn of events*

*and to preserve world peace.*

*In addition to instructions
earlier transmitted*

*to stop construction work
on installations in Cuba,*

*the Soviet Government
has ordered*

*the dismantling
of weapons in Cuba,*

*as well as their crating*

*and return to the Soviet Union.*

Is everybody ready for church?

It's a beautiful morning.

Pass the butter up to Dad.

Dad, you want your paper?

Dad, what's wrong?

The sun came up.

Every day the sun comes up
says something about us.

What does it say, Dad?

What's wrong with Daddy?

This is the foreign policy trophy
we were hoping for.

Mr. President, sir.

Mr. President, great job.

Hold it, hold it.

Well, Mr. President,

I think I can speak
for everyone here

when I say,
"Bring on those mid-terms,

there's no stopping us now."

- 4 more years.
- All right.

You know, it's been
a long 2 weeks, and...

or whatever, but...

I'd like to thank you all.
I think you all did a great job,

and I just think...

I don't think we should be
gloating too much.

It was...

just as much a victory
for them as it was for us.

Hear, hear.

Enjoy your morning.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Get some rest, Mr. President.

We've got a lot
of new clout right now,

and we can run the table
on Khrushchev,

the Middle East,
and Southeast Asia.

Right. You're right.

Dear Mr. And Mrs. Anderson,

I was deeply shocked
when advised your son was lost

in an operational mission
on Saturday,

*October 27, 1962.*

*Your son rendered distinguished*

*and dedicated service
to his country*

*throughout his career.*

*He was admired...*

*and respected*

*for his courage,*

*and his professional skill
by all with whom he served.*

*His tragic loss
will be deeply felt...*

*and a grateful nation
will be forever in his debt.*

Ken, we're out here.

*What kind of a peace
do we seek?*

*I am talking about
genuine peace*

*The kind of peace that makes
life on earth worth living*

*Not merely peace in our time,*

*but peace in all time.*

*Our problems are man-made,*

*therefore,
they can be solved by man.*

*For in the final analysis,*

*our most basic common link*

*is that we all inhabit*

*this small planet.*

*We all breathe the same air.*

*We all cherish
our children's future,*

*and we are all mortal.*