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Archive for March, 2010

Group #4 Topic: “Inside the Apocalyptic Soviet Doomsday Machine” 09/2009 Issue

March 29, 2010

Audio	Video
A nervous Russian tells the world about the Perimeter, the Russian Doomsday machine.	Mike in front of statue
Impossible you say? Think again! That nervous Russian is a veteran of the Soviet Strategic Rocket Forces and Soviet General Staff who helped build the Perimeter.	Mike Saluting on a boat
The system’s goal is simple, if the US destroyed the USSR with a surprise nuclear attack, it could still retaliate, no matter the extent of the damage.	Nuclear blast.
The Dead Hand, as some affectionately call it, was built 25 years ago and was a closely guarded secret.	Soviet looking red hand.
As the USSR fell, news of the system became public, but no one noticed.	As the USSR fell, news of the system became public, but no one noticed.
As the USSR fell, news of the system became public, but no one noticed.	Berlin Wall collapsing.
Russians won’t talk about it, American don’t know about it.	Lenin’s Statue being hauled off.
The secrecy lingers so much still that informant worries for his safety. Another Soviet who talked about they system strangely fell down some stairs, but he feels the world needs to know.	Scene transistions.
If you build it, they won’t come.	Pictures of Nashville.
A soviet plan to stop US bombs.	Detonation tests/Graphs from Strangelove.
Does it exist, a soviet doomsday clock?	Clock ticking
Pressure, radiation, seismic activity and communication	Footage of stuff being destroyed by nuclear blasts.
automatic revenge with four if/thens	Vietnam footage.
A prisoners dilemma, a Mexican stand off	Close up on a gun.
Gandhi said an eye for an eye,	Eye gouging footage.
Soviet Russia say bombs for bombs	Missele exchange.
no safeguards, a push button holocaust	Easy Button!
weapons hold, its only geese.	Radar screen footage.
As Ronald Reagan entered the scene, he brought new machismo to a post Vietnam America.	Vietman footage.
One of Reagan’s prerogatives was to convince the Soviets that the US was willing to enter nuclear war. In 1981, as the US’s arsenal grew, the incoming head of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency said that Japan, “not only survived but flourished after the nuclear attack.” He assured the world that a US-Soviet exchange would result in 10 million casualties on one side and 100 million on the other, not entire populations. Reagan’s next step would cement the Soviet’s fears. Reagan began a missile defense program, Star Wars. Mutually Assured Destruction was nullified. The US could surely survive a weak counter attack if it were to attack the USSR with this new system. Reagan was never planning a strike. His diaries tell that he truly wanted to bring lasting peace. He assured the world the defense system was just that, a defense system. The Soviets didn’t believe him, that’s just what he would say if he was planning an attack. This left a choice, make the first move, or show the enemy that you can strike back even if you’re dead.	Footage of Nick Talking
There is no reason to have thousands of armed missiles on something close to hair-trigger alert. The Cold War is over. But we act the same way that we used to. It’s nonsense not to talk about Perimeter. If the existence of the device isn’t made public, we have more risk in future crises. And crisis is inevitable.	Nathan bursting into light.