The Morning’s Second Artificial Sunrise D+24 (2 August, 1987) 0253-0330 Zulu

0253 Zulu- Romanov’s hotline message is summarized for President Reagan and his advisers in the Situation Room by the MOLINK duty officer. The general secretary explains that a direct response to the ‘unprovoked NATO nuclear attack on a Soviet military base in the GDR’ will be launched within minutes. He does not understand the purpose …

D+18 1608-1620 Zulu 27 July, 1987

Washington DC 1608 Zulu (1208 Local Time) Things were moving faster now. The first flight of helicopters were approaching the Pentagon, White House, and Capitol Hill. The Central Locator Service was activated and the locations of every person in the presidential line of succession were being confirmed and passed along to HMX-1.  At each of …

D+18 1600-1607 Zulu 27 July, 1987

Washington DC, 1600 Zulu (1200 Local Time) Upon receipt of a hotline message at the National Military Command Center, the contents are translated into English. Both copies are then transmitted to the White House Situation Room for distribution. This was the standard protocol followed in normal circumstances. In the case of this particular message, its …