Reply #140: Let's add "Star Wars" [View All]

[greengestalt]

His attempt to defend the USA in case of Nuclear War only ensured man's extinction if it came to pass...


The Russians were concerned with him doing this, and he re-assured them he was just defending, not attacking. He talked about his astrologer and how he believed he was the "Reincarnation" of the man who invented the first shield...


So, they decided it was a pure lie. They didn't believe he could be that senile and stupid and be head of the USA.


They asked their techs: "What CAN this thing do?" Mind you, there have been a number of high profile traitors, like Ames, the Russians did have some good intelligence.


Their techs said: "No way could this thing repel a full strike from us. However, if they struck first with total surprise, it could repel most, perhaps all of what we'd be able to fire back. This system argues they aren't planning a defense, they are planning to wipe us out."


So the Russians worked out a plan to ensure that if they got wiped out, all their missile would be launched. They made an automatic system "Dead Hand" which was tied to remote sensors that if a significant nuclear attack occurred, all human operated systems would override and launch. Maybe they intended to reveal it in a public denouncement of Star Wars, but when the wall fell, their government got too distracted and the pressure of the "Cold War" quickly went down.


The "Dead Hand" is still in operation.
Sealed, in secret areas, inaccessible, will run on its own for 1000 years easily...


It'll (likely) go off if some combination of factors occur, like one major city or two or more minor cities and/or military bases getting nuked. Or a Chernobyl event tied to an earthquake and/or Meteor strike.


All thanks to Ray-Gun...