Even the best laid plans can go catastrophically wrong when humans get involved. This week, people bungle simple operations on some of the most dangerous weapons in the world.
A Titan II missile silo.
Ralph Crane/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Prologue
Ira tells the little known story about one of the times we almost began a nuclear war with the Soviet Union—by accident. (2 minutes)
Act One
In 1980, deep in a nuclear missile silo in Arkansas, a simple human error nearly caused the destruction of a giant portion of the Midwest. Joe Richman, founder of Radio Diaries tells the story.
Eric Molinsky helped report this story. Thanks to Eric Schlosser who was a huge help to us and whose book Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety covers this accident and others like it. (35 minutes)
Erring Like a Sailor
The Navy’s Seventh Fleet has seen a string of collisions and accidents, killing 17 sailors this year. Producer Stephanie Foo learned about a part of Navy life that investigators say played a role in these accidents. (18 minutes)
Song:
Related
Act Three: Let's See How Fast This Baby Will Go
Act Three: The Squeaky Wheelchair Gets the Grease
Act Two: What We Wanted To Do
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Lower 9 + 10
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Life aboard an aircraft carrier stationed in the Arabian Sea supporting bombing missions over Afghanistan.