[CONTAINS SPOILERS!]
The film A House of Dynamite is all about what would happen during a nuclear attack on the United States, and the United States’ own nuclear launch process plays a feature role.
RIGHT:
- While many aspects of the nuclear launch process are highly classified, the procedures depicted in A House of Dynamite are generally plausible based on what is publicly known.
- The final decision is left to only one person — the President. He can consult with others as depicted but he does not have to do so.
- The sense of urgency is real. Everything would be happening all at once, on a very tight timetable.
- The briefcase known as the “football” follows the President around at all times, as depicted. In it is the Presidential Decision Handbook, which is the menu of nuclear strike options available to the president. The football also contains information about how the President can use the emergency broadcast system to talk to the public during or after an attack and about relocation facilities he can go to.
- The nuclear handbook is depicted realistically based on publicly available information. In it are many war plan options and it has been likened to a menu. The handbook reportedly uses pictographs to depict what each option entails and what kind of damage it is expected to cause.
- As depicted in the film, the President is supposed to carry this laminated card, called a “biscuit,” around at all times. On it are a series of alphanumeric codes that verify the President’s identity before issuing an order.
- If the President gives the right response verifying his identity, the duty officer will ask what he wants to do, the President will give his order from the handbook and the order will be transmitted down the chain of command. The people in missile silos, at bomber bases and in submarines will receive the order, verify that it’s correct and input the codes to unlock and launch the weapons.
WRONG:
- In an actual crisis, there would likely be more efforts at diplomacy and contact with foreign leaders, including allies, and there would certainly be a bit more time for response, but slowing down events this way would have damaged the movie’s pacing and sense of drama. Of course, different administrations may put more or less emphasis on diplomacy, but more time would be available.
- If the origin of the attack on the United States were unknown, there would be no question of using nuclear weapons against the “usual suspects,” unless U.S. nuclear forces were at risk, and then the nature of such risk would be known.
- The supposed time pressure to “use or lose” U.S. nuclear forces would only be present in the case of a massive attack on such forces, not in the case of a lone missile.
