1:01:01
If the Americans want nuclear war,
1:01:03
they can have it at any time.
1:01:06
They don't require a pretext,
neither do we.
1:01:10
I have ordered our fighters to track down
1:01:12
the American U-2 and to send it home.
1:01:15
But I've also ordered them
not to fire upon it,
1:01:17
a direct order.
1:01:21
In the time since we dispatched
the second letter
1:01:23
you so fervently desired,
1:01:25
nuclear war has
nearly been triggered twice.
1:01:28
Once because we cannot control
every action
1:01:30
of our forces around the world,
1:01:32
and once because Kennedy has
the same limitation.
1:01:36
And why did we take this risk?
1:01:38
To force America to
remove obsolete weapons
1:01:42
under humiliating circumstances.
1:01:46
Alexander Foreman has reported
to me personally
1:01:48
that Kennedy will never agree
to those conditions.
1:01:52
Do you want to further test
Kennedy's nerve?
1:01:55
Are you prepared for war?
1:01:58
Are you prepared for total destruction?
1:02:00
Give me an answer.
1:02:17
I don't like the tone of this letter
your people drafted, Dean,
1:02:19
is entirely too negative
1:02:20
in rejecting all
of Khrushchev's initiatives.
1:02:22
I just don't think ill do.
1:02:24
Khrushchev put Turkey on the agenda,
1:02:25
we have to knock it off.
1:02:26
Why?
1:02:27
We can't simply ignore his proposals.
1:02:29
Which proposals, Foreman's,
1:02:30
Khrushchev's first letter,
the second letter, which ones?
1:02:33
Bobby, whas in your mind?
1:02:35
Mr. President, last night we felt
1:02:36
we had a possible solution
in answering the first letter.
1:02:39
We can't pretend that we never
received the second letter.
1:02:42
Why not?
1:02:42
Because we -
1:02:43
Dammit man, why not?
1:02:44
Ted, didn't Foreman
tell Skally the second letter
1:02:46
was a mistaken communication?
1:02:47
Yes, he did.
1:02:48
Sir, I think we can pretend
to believe him.
1:02:50
Is a marvelous idea.
1:02:51
Bobby, you're absolutely right.
1:02:52
Mr. President, what have we got to lose?
1:02:54
We can draft a reply to Khrushchev
1:02:55
which simply ignores the second letter.
1:02:56
Exactly.
1:02:57
We'll state our terms as though
Khrushchev offered them,
1:02:59
and then accept them.