What if a Fool Has the Launch Codes? | The Cuban Missile Crisis I Day 06

[@TimeGhost]

There are a few interesting reasons why we use Paris to simulate nuclear impact (beyond pulling Parisians' collective leg). The city is landlocked and has no significant topographic features in and around the city that will alter the shock wave. It's fairly symmetrically circular and she has a concentrated multimillion population. The sprawling suburbs gradually end in countryside, and then at equidistance in all four compass directions there are other relatively large cities. Last but not least, everyone has an idea of what Paris is, even those who haven't been there. All of these factors contribute to Paris being ideal to illustrate nuclear shock, which is of course also why it would one of the worst cities in the world that could be hit, measured in casualties relative to force of destination. Simply put, more people would die per kiloton of explosive power than most other multimillion cities of the world. Therefore, it tis not on lay we, but many other documentations and works dealing with illustrating nuclear force that use Paris. . *RULES OF CONDUCT* STAY CIVIL AND POLITE we will delete any comments with personal insults, or attacks. AVOID PARTISAN POLITICS AS FAR AS YOU CAN we reserve the right to cut off vitriolic debates. HATE SPEECH IN ANY DIRECTION will lead to a ban. RACISM, XENOPHOBIA, OR SLAMMING OF MINORITIES will lead to an immediate ban. PARTISAN REVISIONISM, ESPECIALLY HOLOCAUST AND HOLODOMOR DENIAL will lead to an immediate ban. THE PROMOTION OF EXTREME, VIOLENT IDEOLOGIES IS ABSOLUTELY FORBIDDEN This includes the justification, or promotion of ideologies, regimes, and systems that have historically or are inherently contrary to the principles of democracy and human rights. To be clear some of these ideologies are Naziism, Fascism, Colonialism, Imperialism, Leninism, Stalinism, Revolutionary Socialism, Integral Nationalism and any other ideology that promotes authoritarianism, and a disregard for inalienable individual rights as outlined in the UDHR. Regimes that fall under this rule are for example: Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, the British Empire, Colonial France, pre-emancipation USA, Imperial Japan, Communist China, the USSR and any similar systems and regimes. While an academic discussion of these ideologies and regimes is permitted, even desired, any value statements or comparative posts to extoll their positive sides will be deleted, and may lead to a ban. . Here’s why: It is objectively true that the authoritarian regimes we cover in our series, be they far-left or far-right, were willing to use systematic oppression, violence, and murder to create or maintain their preferred system of governance. From the perspective of human rights, democracy, and plain decency, this is clearly unacceptable. Now, that is, of course, a morally absolute statement based on 21st-century morals and ethics. Therefore, in our content, we refrain from any such judgement and just tell the story as it is. We’re concerned only with the past. We don’t take sides, and we don’t decide which side deserves more blame than the other. Our comment section, however, is not taking place in the past. Our comments are made in the present-day, and political comments such as the ones we don’t allow are promoting a present-day agenda by whitewashing, diminishing, or even justifying the crimes of a past regime. We will not allow for such rhetoric in the same way most democratic European countries (where we create this content) won’t allow for such rhetoric. As historians, our very work depends on this so that we can continue interrogating the past free from political influence.

[@leonpomme-epine2742]

Living in Paris, it's definitely evocative to me watching everything being destroyed in a 300 km wide range.

[@indianajones4321]

Ah yes, finally a Paris explanation

[@majormononoke8958]

"we refrain from any such judgement and just tell the story as it is" THumbnail : In the Foreground we see Fidel Castro seemingly between the in the backround mixing colors of the Soviet union, the united states and poossible the Cuban Flag in the center. As such the cuban colors and Fidel are in the middle. On the left side we see a light depiction of a "CHE" graffiti clearly on the red and left side of the cuban flag, possible being on the soviet side. Titel :What if a Fool Has the Launch Codes? | The Cuban Missile Crisis I Day 06 ... So certainly Fidel could be interpretated as a fool or an other possiblity is he will be among the (first) victims of "such" fool...

[@Fellknauel]

paris is built on top of a swampy riverbank, I wonder what that would entail down the line.

[@richmcgee434]

"Simply put, more people would die per kiloton of explosive power than most other multimillion cities of the world." I have grave doubts about that assertion. Geographic considerations are probably less important than population density, and (without doing a ton of research) Paris is way behind many other cities in that regard. Drop a nuke on Manilla (less than half the size of Paris in terms of footprint, but still around 1.8 million people compared to 2.3 million in Paris) and you'll probably kill a higher percentage of its people even if raw numbers are lower. Drop the same bomb on Baghdad and you'll probably kill more than the entire population of Paris in one go - it's twice the footprint but has well over 6 million victims. And Mumbai has around six time the footprint but over 19 million people, many of whom might survive the detination only to die in the coming days and weeks amidst the ruined infrastructure of what's left of the city. Face it, Paris gets used in nuclear weapon demos a lot because it's shaped the way it is. You can draw pretty circles of what will be caught in each zone of destruction without having to worry about bare patches and population variance as much as other cities that would, in reality, suffer mire due to population size, density and dependence on infrastructure for both supplies and evacuation.

[@thexalon]

"We'll always have Paris." - Rick Blaine "Not if I can help it." - Indy Neidel

[@farqitol]

thexalon 😂😂😂

[@Cjnw]

The Chainsmokers have left the chat

[@blackore64]

Man, Indy really has a beef with Paris.

[@luxembourgishempire2826]

😂 it used to be with Luxembourg as he never mentioned us but now it's Paris. 😂😂😂

[@shatter382]

It's because Paris has in effect the most dense population of any European, or American city. It produces the biggest numbers with the smallest yields. For example if you dropped a 100kt bomb on London it would produce about half the fatalities of Paris. Overall i think the series has probably overstated the danger of nukes (maybe not a bad thing). There is a reason the USSR peaked at nearly 40,000 nukes, and really the answer is that the 200-300 nukes countries like China, France, and the UK have are not enough to wipe out Russia or the west. Sure they'll probably create more casualties in 1 day than the soviets took in the entire of world war 2, but 200 nukes is unlikely to even take out 1/3 of the us population. Probably far far less.

[@MacakPodSIjemom]

@@shatter382 I think Moscow is even more dense. Why not throw the bomb there?

[@sse_weston4138]

@@shatter382 I don't think it's so much of an overstatement, but a more clear example of how to see the capabilities of a particular bomb thanks to that dense population. For instance a range for explosive testing with positions here or there, spread out say half a kilometre, to measure the range of damage and killing capability would be far less accurate rather than testing positions every meter. Overkill, but much more accurate to get an idea of how destructive and deadly a bomb can be :)

[@captaindak5119]

@@MacakPodSIjemom Paris is flat, roughly circular and the transition from urban to rural ares is even in all directions.

[@ddoyle11]

Content like this makes you want to throw rocks at supposed historical tv channels. Very well done.

[@MacakPodSIjemom]

What history channels are there today? There used to be History channel and Viasat History, but they both turned into reality TV.

[@cuber5003]

Even rocks contain more history than the history channel these days.

[@v.sandrone4268]

Who else will tell us about how aliens built monuments?

[@garretth8224]

@@MacakPodSIjemom If you consider bs about aliens as reality

[@slundgr]

@@MacakPodSIjemom Correct. I can’t remember the last time I watched History channel.

[@Thissa96]

The line of curtis about the apeasement of munich was a direct dig at jfk personally. This was because john's father was the american ambassador in england at that time and the facilitator of that apeasement policy. It was a way of saying against jfk that he was making the same dumb error his dad made but worse

[@notyetsilenced9746]

I lived through this as a child. I had no idea how close we came to complete annihilation. Another great series from Timeghost!

[@Raskolnikov70]

The presence of tactical nuclear weapons - and the rules of engagement for using them - is a huge eye opener for me personally. Popular history sources tend to focus on the risk of nuclear war involving strategic weapons, and the risk that one of the sides would press the big red button and start WWIII. But it was a heck of a lot more likely that if an invasion took place, some local commander with a twitchy finger would have kicked the whole thing off. We really dodged a bullet here.

[@Hebdomad7]

Oh you think this missile crisis was bad? You should see how close we came in the 1980s

[@marinazagrai1623]

notyet...it was, unfortunately, propitious for both the US and the USSR to make people think doom was close. It is perfect propaganda for both to continue nuclear armament (in the 60s). Nothing catastrophic was going to happen as it was useless to kill so many. You remember, no doubt, the Chernobyl incident, and that was an accident. I wasn't born yet during that era but I lived in a former Soviet Bloc country.

[@TimeGhost]

Thanks!

[@robert48044]

neither lava lamp is working today, Reds need a break today

[@indianajones4321]

3:58 again with Paris It’s really cool that you have original recordings to use for these video, makes it all on the next level.

[@grathian]

Speaking as a retired USN surface warfare officer, the American frigates did have two types of nucs - Terrier BT-N anti-aircraft missiles, and ASROC anti-submarine missiles, but no tactical nuclear cruise missiles. Most of the destroyers also carried ASROC. On two earlier vids, you mentioned the Komar class guided missile patrol boats supplied to Cuba. They were never nuclear capable.

[@mdaily318]

It is disgusting and terrifying the complete disregard for life that both sides had. Not once have we heard them (world leaders) discuss how it would affect the people of their nation and other nation(s). Thank you for this video, amazing as always.

[@NVRAMboi]

Hate I've found this special series so late (2024). It's very well done and up to TimeGhost Standards. It's easy now in 2024 to look back at the mentalities of the key figures in this "Incident". As with Churchill and FDR and Truman, the weight of responsibility on JFK is beyond my grasp. Curtis LeMay (aka "Old Iron Ass") is a hammer. Every enemy looks like a nail to him. Don't get me wrong - a great general and very smart man but hammer gonna hammer. He did have enough self-awareness in WWII to realize that IF the Allies had lost the war, he'd be tried as a war criminal. He was very good at his job; breaking things and killing the enemy. Thanks Ghost Army!

[@jjeherrera]

Very interesting to be able to hear General Curtis LeeMay in person! Of course I've read for years about him, but I had never heard him. Thanks for such a great material!

[@Raskolnikov70]

That was interesting, but I couldn't help but picture him riding a nuclear bomb down to its target while screaming YEE-HAW!!!!! Thanks for the mental image, Dr. Strangelove. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aZbHmmWNoNdoj6s

[@jjeherrera]

@@Raskolnikov70 Actually he's rather Brig. Gen. Jack D. Ripper in Dr. Strangelove

[@TimeGhost]

Thanks for watching!

[@elmersbalm5219]

Listening to EXCOM generals feels like Kubrick's film on the bomb.

[@captaindak5119]

Dr Strangelove?

[@Geoduck.]

Wing Attack Plan R please.

[@Raskolnikov70]

"No fighting in the war room!", lol... Classic.

[@gianniverschueren870]

I don't know why but this tie reminds me of a corporate logo. Maybe for a tech startup or something. 2/5

[@spartacus-olsson]

ROFL

[@Darwinek]

Come on, Gianni, the tie deserves at least 3/5.

[@gianniverschueren870]

@@Darwinek My grades are always open for discussion. I'm also never wrong

[@dragonstormdipro1013]

Seems the Soviet general Malinovski is the only sane person in the entire circus

[@morisco56]

And that soviet submarine comander who I forgot the name

[@dragonstormdipro1013]

@@morisco56 Vasily Arkiphov

[@BigBoss-sm9xj]

It’s fucking nuts thinking about it

[@ArkadiBolschek]

@@morisco56 We'll get to him ^^

[@ArkadiBolschek]

To be fair, neither Khruschev nor Kennedy were too keen on using the nukes either.

[@MundaneDave]

Binge watched every episode so far. Great stuff!! A lot of respect to Malinovski. Solid philosophy on the purpose of a good sword. Not rattling it or using it offensively, but strengthening it. Very few military leaders ever hold that kind of principle.

[@TimeGhost]

Thanks for support Dave!

[@TheLyf007]

I've been waiting for this.. day 6 and I'm loving this series

[@51germa96]

I too

[@saracuda1]

I am one of the last survivors stationed on Garden Key in the Dry Tortugas during the Cuban Crisis. We were the closest land based personnel to Cuba jamming and monitoring Russian communications and keeping an eye on surface ships and subs. We did not know there were four subs with nuke torpedoes. Apparently our mission is still secret since I've never seen or heard anything about it anywhere. Exciting times. I was with the CIA then and later in Berlin and Vietnam.

[@skyflier8955]

Thank y’all for boosting the original audio levels. It’s much more enjoyable to watch than the previous episodes.

[@TimeGhost]

Great, thanks

[@Wolfeson28]

Listening to this episode certainly helps me to see why Guns of August was weighing so much on Kennedy's mind during this crisis. I've read that book several times, and this issue of preparations and mobilizations for war gathering their own momentum and inexorably leading into war, this issue of the reflexive prearranged plans becoming impossible to stop once they're set in motion, and of the military leaders insisting that the plans cannot be stopped once started without condemning their nation to defeat, is *exactly* what Guns of August describes taking place on all sides in 1914. "If you want peace, prepare for war," as the old saying goes, and it's true that Kennedy did need to initiate preparations for war in case diplomatic efforts failed. And yet, we always seem to forget the danger of those plans for war themselves being what shatters the peace.

[@danam0228]

So cool, the audio tapes available now and included here.

[@657449]

I'm old enough to remember Ed Sullivan hugging Fidel Castro and saying how a great a guy he was. Old enough to remember Elvis Presley performing with the screen blocked so you couldn't see his hips.

[@ArkadiBolschek]

The thing about Castro is that he was an incredibly charismatic guy by all accounts, able to win almost anybody over on a personal level. Hell, he ended up _bedding_ one of the many assassins sent by the CIA to kill him.

[@lovablesnowman]

@@ArkadiBolschek I'm sure the fact he was a brutal dictator in total control of Cuba had no impact on the "decision" of those women to sleep with him

[@ArkadiBolschek]

@@lovablesnowman Considering that this specific woman eventually hooked up with _another_ brutal dictator, Marcos Pérez of Venezuela, that may have had something to do with it, yeah.

[@carledwardvincent7131]

There should be a thumbs up for a whole series. You're keeping us in the day-to-day suspense -thoroughly realistic!

[@TimeGhost]

Thanks Carl!

[@elzarcho]

My grandfather was out there on the USS Fort Snelling (an LSD) waiting for the signal to invade. This crisis was real to me already, but it's been great to go through it in real-time with you. Fail to remember, doomed to repeat and all that.

[@tomservo56954]

Your grandfather was on LSD?

[@laysdong]

Joint chiefs prove to be totally incompetent here. A classic case of the hammer thinking every problem looks like a nail

[@captaindak5119]

They really disappointed me.

[@kirant]

I would agree. You can see how they reached their conclusions (that is, they see war as inevitable and diplomacy doomed to fail...so following that logic, the only question is whether you want to use the initiative to deliver an early decisive blow. And they decided yes...because having nukes launched at you is not fun). But it seems their decisions are driven by not seeing the potential validity in the opposite side. That is, it seems they discounted the possibility that negotiating an exit for the missiles might be possible. While it's probably important to have such warhawks on council to prepare if such an inevitability comes to pass, it's also fair to say that their stances didn't align with reality. Which is probably why they are just a few voices of many there to help guide Kennedy's decision making process. Having that balance between advice from them and Stevenson is very worthwhile so you can see where each party lies and where their own internal biases may play a role in decision making.

[@Ugly_German_Truths]

It's also their job to suggest the military solutions most adequate to the situation (including what grim results they might bring with them like expected victim numbers!) whereas political and diplomatic methods are not in their direct toolbox and there are other advisors for that. Basically... it is the Military it is supposed to only be a hammer. TO know WHEN to hammer down on the dratted nail, screw, thumb or cherrybomb is not the hammer's job.

[@Raskolnikov70]

As someone said in another comment elsewhere, the military's job is to be a pitbull on a leash, with the civilian leadership holding the other end of it. None of what the joint chiefs said is right or wrong or "incompetent", it's simply one perspective that JFK had to take into consideration when making decisions. If he had allowed them to overly influence the political decisions being made instead of sticking to the military side of things that would have been a distaster, knowing what we know now. But JFK wisely chose the diplomatic route, against the wishes of the generals, and we're better off because of it.

[@Death_Korps_Officer]

Nobody: Indy: "If bombed in Paris" I loved how that became a meme.

[@MajSolo]

I watch all timeghost content but this serie is the most intense thank you

[@TimeGhost]

Thanks!

[@TheExecutorr]

nothing but respect for Malinovsky. This man has seen and fought more wars than anyone else. When someone like him is an outspoken pacifist, you better listen to what he has to say.

[@randyherbrechtsmeier4796]

I Remember when this happened. I had my Plastic Helicopter ready. All the Men Stood in front of the Timex Store watching the Ticker Tape Banner News and Talking about What to do. Most Old War Vets Wanted War. Im Glad JFK Used Diplomacy we wouldnt be here. I Saw JFK in August of 1960 at the Ballpark. He wanted to be President. I went home and used a whole tube of Brillcreem trying to Look like him. Never Worked. Thanks Indy For this Trip down Memory lane.

[@509Gman]

I’d like to think the “old war vets” would actually know better than to wish for war, but I see my fellow war vets of my generation salivate at the thought of heads being cracked in Iran (not by them personally of course, darn these broken knees, 😉 😉) all too often.

[@TimeGhost]

Thanks for sharing Randy, sometimes we forget that, despite how much the world has changed, this is all still so recent.

[@randyherbrechtsmeier4796]

@@TimeGhost Thanks Fellows. In my Grandmas Lifetime things Changed. From Homesteading in Wagons to Landing on the Moon. Today Weve Hardly Changed since the Late 60s. Only Differences are Cell Phones, TV not Free and Education is Terrible. Thanks to Folk Like You are Teaching the Youth. Nobel Enterprise

[@6412mars]

I know this crisis but this has you on the edge of your seat! hanging on every word! Riveting! Absolutely great historic stuff going on here! Well done Guys!!

[@TimeGhost]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks to the TimeGhost Army for making it possible :)

[@JLHFans]

I saw the series you made about this crisis 2 years ago, and used to read a LOT too of course. But the conversations ... i hardly heard them before , just read about them. This makes it really interesting, when and what Kennedy and his ministers and staffs said.

[@philiphied]

This series had been fantastic. Loving Indy's outfit.

[@stephengalindo6340]

Does anyone else think Steve Buchemi from "The Death of Stalin" when they hear Khrushchev?

[@RGInquisitor]

Absolutely. I can't stop imagining how the meetings about these events would be happening with the cast of that movie.

[@indianajones4321]

Yes

[@prajwalpingali]

I can only hear it in his voice

[@davidp.7620]

@@RGInquisitor if it were the full cast, Stalin included, you wouldn't be able to imagine anything

[@ArkadiBolschek]

Not me. He does a great job in that film, but he looks _nothing_ like Khruschev.

[@fredhoupt4078]

Super reportage

[@luxembourgishempire2826]

Rip the world

[@Darwinek]

#mentionluxembourg

[@cameronash5492]

This is a cool series!

[@TimeGhost]

Thanks Cameron!

[@luciusgarvous]

I don’t know why or how. But the intro song is just so Cold War and spy like. I love it.

[@weltvonalex]

You guys are amazing, I can't repeat it often enough.

[@TimeGhost]

And we can't hear it often enough 😉

[@gaslitworldf.melissab2897]

Love the relaxed way you fashioned your suit. Suits the era, less formal.

[@undolf4097]

This play by play really gets you into a headspace of how close we came to war

[@podemosurss8316]

This series is really interesting, and you are doing a fantastic job!

[@TimeGhost]

Thank you

[@podemosurss8316]

@@TimeGhost It's true, and makes me think on how near we were to total destruction.

[@cybersquire]

This is really good stuff. Congrats to Indy and team for another outstanding production!

[@TimeGhost]

Thanks!

[@saadniazi9875]

The itro music is perfect

[@senseiadam-brawlstars9465]

amazing content

[@TimeGhost]

Thanks Sensei!

[@nicotheprotogen3832]

*WOOO ANOTHER GREAT VIDEO FROM INDY*

[@mansellotthegreat645]

This intro is such a bop I can’t lie

[@exohead1]

This has been fascinating. It truly amazes me just how close to a nuclear conflict we really came.

[@Andreu0rtin]

I kind of love that Indy and the TimeGhost army nuking Paris has basically become a meme in and out itself. (I know they use it because it is clear example on what WOULD happen but still)

[@jokuvaan5175]

Damn. I feel like freaking out a bit even though this happened decades ago. I can't imagine how the people at the time must have felt

[@mostlychimp5715]

Just like today most people probably didn't care/weren't paying attention. Asked Ma, she doesn't remember it (in her teens).

[@george217]

I am barely old enough to remember the Missile crisis,but not old enough to understand what was going on at the time. I remember my dad being on alert at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. We lived less than a mile from the main gate of this SAC base. My dad might have survived in his underground bunker, but I and the rest of my family would have been toast...

[@TimeGhost]

Thanks for sharing George, scary part of history to have lived through.

[@vicbittertoo]

really well done series !!

[@davidbecker5724]

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series thus far, however going to high alert, moving assets, and readying troops is always a thing. Military thinking is always having the pieces ready to go on a moments notice. Look at the 90s and the almost Christmas jump into Haiti. Every option isn't on the table, but you still prepare them.

[@davidbecker5724]

Also these general's are wayyy to hawkish, especially with deployments of nukes to ground commanders...but preparing bodies to go in is what I was getting at.

[@alcaulique8358]

“War is too important to be left to the generals” - Georges Clemenceau

[@Rain1dog]

Absolutely fantastic channel!

[@TimeGhost]

Thanks William!

[@LuGer212]

Indy: using French capital for explosive mass yield measuring repeatedly Paris: *am I a joke to you?*

[@509Gman]

Lu Ger oui

[@drakepatrick3261]

This is fantastic work. Edge of your seat stuff. Keep it up

[@TimeGhost]

Cheers Drake!

[@WilliamBrothers]

3:45 if you came for Paris

[@JenniferinIllinois]

This is getting serious. Indy has unbuttoned his jacket. 😉😉😉

[@AbhinavKumar-tk4ee]

I appreciate your effort

[@TimeGhost]

Appreciate your support Abhinav!

[@AbhinavKumar-tk4ee]

Thanks a lot sir I am eagerly waiting for the WW2 Pearl Harbor series

[@karoltakisobie6638]

When did Nato became aware of evens around Cuba?

[@TLTeo]

Good question, I'd like to know this as well.

[@edata5898]

It was when one of their spies in the USSR told them. They then flew U2 spy planes over Cuba to check if this was indeed the case.

[@Mizmaaa]

@@edata5898 I don't think the op meant the States. I think the question was, when did Americans inform their NATO allies about potential nuclear conflict.

[@karoltakisobie6638]

@@Mizmaaa You are right. That's what I meant. I wonder if they found from US or from their own intelligence services and when did they found out. That also begs questions when did Soviet satellite governments found out and what was their reaction.

[@galandilvogler8577]

"Good night, and good luck." - Indy "Murrow" Neidell

[@andypants1000]

I cant wait until you do a day by day of the 100 years war.

[@pietervonck3264]

When are we going to get a series about the Korean War and the Indochina/Vietnam War? Loved the great War, love the Ww2 week by week.

[@TimeGhost]

Something like that may be in the pipeline for when WW2 ends 🤨But who knows when that'll be...

[@augustoliborio9458]

I've been watching all the episodes, I think you're doing a great job. And I also find your approach in the decision-making part very cool. I don't know if you read it or if it was based, but there is a very good literature by the American political scientist Graham T. Allison, in his book "Essence of Decision"

[@v.sandrone4268]

I half expected to see the Dr Strangelove movie's War Room scene at any moment.

[@ejnarsorensen2920]

Looking at that blockade line, it looks like they were effectively blockading several other countries too.

[@ArkadiBolschek]

It's not how many miles you cover, it's whose ships you're stopping. (I guess?)

[@mt_baldwin]

In your pearl harbor series I hope you devote a little time to Germany'r response to it and the US's thoughts on what this means for the war in Europe in those few days between the attack and Germany's declaration of war. What I mean is Japan handed Germany a huge gift, distracting the USA away from Europe, there was no way FDR could now justify war with Germany when the US has to fight in the pacific and he knew it, maybe even support to the Uk might be reduced. Aannd Hitler throws it away almost as an afterthought, he made an enemy of a country at least equal in strength to the USSR for absolutely no gain, not even a promise from Japan, nothing. Side note: I believe the only official declaration of war Hitler ever made was against the USA.

[@tsepzz4742]

The end is so anticlimactic 😂

[@briancrane7634]

Nikita Khrushchov at the time of the crisis commented that when he had met Kennedy personally he was impressed...by Kennedy's naivete and inexperience. Probably why Khrushchov thought he could get away with the bluff. But Kennedy's ineptitude was offset by Penkovsky's leaked information about Kremlin intentions. Kennedy could see Khrushchov's cards...

[@the1ghost764]

Awesome 👏.

[@TimeGhost]

Thanks!

[@kenjimuro3044]

JFK: plans to stars a nuclear war against Cuba and USSR Republicans: UuUUhhhhHNngn YoU aRE noT tOuGH oN cOmmUNIsm

[@janejames9173]

Love your channel Dear.🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@Rookz89]

How many people on both sides were sooooo trigger happy with nukes. It boggles the mind that we managed to not blow up the world...............yet.

[@tommonk7651]

For an excellent approximation of General Curtis Lemay, see George C. Scott in Dr. Strangelove....

[@phelyxz]

man... this is scary... also in light of how we slipped into world war 1....

[@jerrywhite9225]

Curtis Lemay , he was always itching for war lol

[@jamesgoodman8868]

Hope for the best but plan for the worst. Very responsible approach and not confusing. What would Indy do?

[@jokuvaan5175]

Now that you have done so much research on the subject, you'd be able to make a good "what if" scenario video on the topic. Pick one moment when the World probably came closest to WW3 during this crisis. You could explore where the nukes of the respective natipns were aimed at, how much death and destruction they could have caused. Who would have filled the power vaccuum if the super powers disappeared and so on.

[@SadisticSenpai61]

Ah politicians... The more things change, the more things stay the same. You still can't get a straight answer from a politician and most of the time, they don't even come close to actually answering the question and instead answer the question they wanted to be asked.

[@ImperialsArmy1]

Hell it was about to be Fallout 3 and Fallout 4 during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

[@Geoduck.]

What fool has launch codes? How about USAF (SAC) Brigadier General Jack D. Ripper commander B52 843rd Bomb Wing. What could possibly go wrong?

[@Slarti]

"If...we were to immediately launch an all-out and coordinated attack on all their airfields and missile bases we'd stand a damn good chance of catchin 'em with their pants down."

[@kenhoganson9481]

Indy, when you parse Kennedy's statements, he is actually CLEAR and unambiguous. Not sure why you see it otherwise. BTW, the military must prepare for all contingencies, including those they do not wish for. Its part of their job, and not a contradiction of policy as you seem to imply.

[@rickkubik5484]

Regarding the title "What If A Fool Has The Launch Codes", history does record that the US military staff fought for years for the launch codes to be set at, and KEPT at, 0000. That way, if things ever got into disorganized war, and the president could not be contacted, the missiles could be used by the military. To be fair, they did have military sense to see the uses. But they may not have had the sense when to not use them. Thank God we never found out. All those years (when, btw, I was in elementary school and eager to right them dirty Commies) about the secret codes in an attache case chained to a presidential adviser's wrist? Well, actually not so true. The codes might have been there. But the codes were until recently, "0000". Yowch.

[@luispt77]

I hope someone is counting how many times Paris is theoretically destroyed by Indy's nuclear bombs

[@Ironpancakemoose]

People often point fingers at Hitler for not listening to his generals. In this case I'm HAPPY JFK didnt listen to his generals.

[@ArkadiBolschek]

Aren't they completely different situations? A general's job is to formulate strategy and conduct military operations; a stateman's job is to decide whether to go to war or not. Hitler thought he could do his generals' job better than them; Kennedy didn't let his generals tell _him_ how he should do _his_ job.

[@johndaubner973]

I've just finished reading 'Sum of All Fears' by Tom Clancy and found the way that the US and USSR interacted to be similar to their real life interaction. Did we have the DEFCON status at that time?

[@TheLeonhamm]

Nah! Dat kinda fink only happens in da movies. Uhm? Like, yeah. All together now: 'We'll Meet Again .. Don't Know Where .. Don't Know When ...' Yee-Haw! ;o)

[@509Gman]

TheLeonhamm referring to the Dicktator of Equatorial Guinea?

[@TheLeonhamm]

@@509Gman Ah! And so very many more. ;o)

[@arunlewis4416]

Don’t forget about Ivan and his friend still chilling under the tree in Cuba.

[@RCAvhstape]

2:07 I don't think Marshal Zakharov has enough medals on his uniform. Better give him, oh, about 25 more ought to do it.

[@onefastcyclist]

An Excellent series Indy! With the cold war heating up, do you think oblivion was partially held in place by Kennedy's recent memories of the Bay of Pigs?

[@PMW3]

Indy seems to have a grudge against Paris

[@juliogarcia4757]

That’s Pindy Crydel, but where’s his cat?

[@Simonsvids]

So, was Curtis LeMay ever made to get down on his knees and eat humble pie?

[@cheesedaemon]

It's a bit odd hearing Kennedy's actions being spun as warlike. He did everything possible to avoid armed conflict while bringing about the removal of the missiles. I suppose he could have foregone the blockade and just asked the Soviets nicely?

[@TimeGhost]

We look at this strictly form a day to day perspective - on Day 6 of the crisis, this is where JFK stood - he has already and will continue to change his mind quite a few times during this crisis - have patience and you shall see.

[@MrNicoJac]

There's a reason people say Kennedy walked to the brink and back. You can't back away if you never got close to it in the first place....

[@MrYossarianuk]

In 2016 that 'what if' scenario became real

[@Darwinek]

Day 6 - the red lava lamp stopped working as well, the world is doomed.

[@scottaznavourian3720]

Paris is the Moe's tavern of any indy nuke scenario

[@mononoke721]

Yeah, it's just a matter of time isn't it...one trigger-happy general too many and the nukes will start flying. WWII is going to look like a picnic by comparison.

[@teashea1]

The lava lamps are not working very well