UJohn Bordne, isakhamuzi saseBlakeslee, ePenn., Kwadingeka azigcinele umlando wakhe iminyaka engaphezu kwamashumi amahlanu. Muva nje i-US Air Force imnike imvume yokukhuluma le ndaba, okuthi, uma ifakazelwa njengeqiniso, ingaba isengezo esishaqisayo ohlwini olude noluyesabekayo lwamaphutha nokungasebenzi kahle okucishe kwafaka umhlaba empini yenuzi.

Indaba iqala ngemva nje kwamabili, emahoreni okuqala ka-Okthoba 28, 1962, ekuphakameni kwe-Cuban Missile Crisis. Umshayeli wendiza wase-Air Force uJohn Bordne uthi uqale umsebenzi wakhe egcwele ukwesaba. Ngaleso sikhathi, ekuphenduleni ubunzima obukhulayo mayelana nokuthunyelwa kwemicibisholo eyimfihlo yaseSoviet eCuba, wonke amabutho esu aseMelika ayephakanyiselwe ku-Defense Readiness Condition 2, noma i-DEFCON2; okusho ukuthi, babelungele ukuya esimweni se-DEFCON1 phakathi nendaba yamaminithi. Kanye ku-DEFCON1, umcibisholo ungethulwa kungakapheli umzuzu wezisebenzi eziyalelwe ukwenza kanjalo.

UBordne ubekhonza kwelinye labane izingosi eziyimfihlo zokwethulwa kwemicibisholo esiqhingini saseJapan esihlala e-Okinawa esihlala e-US. Kwakukhona izikhungo ezimbili zokulawula ukwethulwa endaweni ngayinye; ngalinye lalinabasebenzi abayisikhombisa. Ngokusekelwa yiqembu lakhe, isikhulu ngasinye sokwethula umsebenzi sasibhekelele imicibisholo ye-Mace B cruise efakwe nezikhali zenuzi zikaMark 28. I-Mark 28 ibe nesivuno esilingana nama-megatons angu-1.1 we-TNT—okungukuthi, ngalinye lalinamandla aphindwe izikhathi ezingu-70 kunebhomu laseHiroshima noma laseNagasaki. Sekukonke, lokho kungu-35.2 megatons wamandla acekela phansi. Ngobubanzi bamakhilomitha angu-1,400, amaMace B ase-Okinawa angafinyelela emadolobheni amakhulu amaKhomanisi iHanoi, Beijing, nePyongyang, kanye nezikhungo zamasosha aseSoviet eVladivostok.

Emahoreni ambalwa ngemuva kokuqala kokushintsha kuka-Bordne, uthi, umphathi omkhulu e-Missile Operations Centre e-Okinawa waqala ukusakazwa komsakazo okujwayelekile, okuphakathi nendawo ezindaweni ezine. Ngemva kokuhlola isikhathi esivamile kanye nokubuyekezwa kwesimo sezulu kwafika uchungechunge oluvamile lwekhodi. Ngokujwayelekile ingxenye yokuqala yentambo ayifani nezinombolo izisebenzi ezazinazo. Kodwa kulesi senzakalo, ikhodi ye-alphanumeric yahambisana, ebonisa ukuthi kwakuzolandelwa umyalo okhethekile. Kwesinye isikhathi umdlalo wawudluliselwa ngezinjongo zokuqeqesha, kodwa ngalezo zikhathi ingxenye yesibili yekhodi yayingahambisani. Lapho ukulungela kwemicibisholo kukhushulelwa ku-DEFCON 2, izisebenzi zazitshelwe ukuthi ngeke kuphinde kube nokuhlolwa okunjalo. Ngakho-ke kulokhu, lapho ingxenye yokuqala yekhodi ifanelana, izisebenzi zikaBordne zethuka ngaso leso sikhathi futhi, ngempela, ingxenye yesibili, ngokokuqala ngqa, nayo yahambisana.

Kuleli qophelo, isikhulu sokwethulwa kwethimba lakwa-Bordne, uKapteni William Bassett, wayenemvume yokuvula isikhwama sakhe. Uma ikhodi esesikhwameni ifana nengxenye yesithathu yekhodi eyayisakazwa ngomsakazo, ukaputeni wayeyalwa ukuba avule imvilophu esikhwameni esiqukethe imininingwane eqondiwe futhi avule izikhiye. U-Bordne uthi wonke amakhodi ahambisana, eqinisekisa umyalelo wokuqhumisa yonke imicibisholo yabasebenzi. Njengoba ukusakazwa kwaphakathi neshifu kwasakazwa ngomsakazo kuzo zonke izisebenzi eziyisishiyagalombili, uCapt. Bassett, njengesikhulu esiphezulu kuleyo shifu, waqala ukusebenzisa ubuholi, ecatshangelwa ukuthi abanye abasebenzi abayisikhombisa e-Okinawa nabo bawutholile umyalo, uBordne. wangitshela ngokuziqhenya phakathi nenhlolokhono eyathatha amahora amathathu ngoMeyi 2015. Uphinde wangivumela ukuba ngifunde isahluko mayelana nalesi sigameko encwadini yakhe engashicilelwe, futhi ngishintshele naye ama-imeyili angaphezu kuka-50 ukuze ngiqiniseke ukuthi ngiyayiqonda indaba yakhe ngalesi sigameko. .

Ngokwe-akhawunti kaBordne, ngesikhathi seCuban Missile Crisis, abasebenzi be-Air Force e-Okinawa bayalwa ukuba baqhume imicibisholo engu-32, ngayinye iphethe i-warhead enkulu yenuzi. Ukuqapha kuphela kanye nomqondo ophusile kanye nesenzo esiwujuqu sabasebenzi abathola leyo miyalo kuvimbele ukwethulwa—futhi kwagwema impi yenuzi okungenzeka ukuthi yayingaba khona.

I-Kyodo News uye wabika ngalo mcimbi, kodwa kuphela mayelana nabasebenzi Bordne. Ngokubona kwami, izikhumbuzo ezigcwele zikaBordne—njengoba zihlobene nabanye abasebenzi abayisikhombisa—kudingeka zivezwe obala nangalesi sikhathi, ngoba zinikeza isizathu esenele sokuthi uhulumeni wase-US afune futhi akhulule ngesikhathi esifanele yonke imibhalo ehlobene. ezenzakalweni e-Okinawa ngesikhathi se-Cuban Missile Crisis. Uma kuyiqiniso, i-akhawunti ka-Bordne ingangeza ngokujabulisayo ekuqondeni komlando, hhayi nje ngenhlekelele yase-Cuba, kodwa ngendima yengozi nokubalwa kabi okuye kwadlalwa futhi okusaqhubeka kuyiNkathi Yenuzi.

Yini uBordne aphikisana ngayo. U-Bordne waxoxwa kakhulu ngonyaka odlule nguMasakatsu Ota, umbhali ophezulu naye I-Kyodo News, ezichaza njengesikhungo sezindaba esihamba phambili e-Japan futhi esikhona emhlabeni wonke, esinezikhungo zezindaba ezingaphezu kuka-40 ngaphandle kwalelo zwe. Esihlokweni sangoMashi 2015, u-Ota ubeke okuningi kwe-akhawunti kaBordne futhi wabhala ukuthi "[omunye] owayengumakadebona wase-US owayesebenza e-Okinawa naye usanda kuqinisekisa [i-akhawunti ka-Bordne] ngesimo sokungaziwa." U-Ota ube esenqabile ukukhomba umakadebona ongashiwongo ngegama, ngenxa yokungaziwa ayethenjiswe kona.

U-Ota akazange abike izingxenye zendaba ka-Bordne ezisuselwe ezingxoxweni zocingo u-Bordne athi wazizwa phakathi kwesikhulu sakhe sokwethulwa, uCapt. Basset, kanye nezinye izikhulu eziyisikhombisa zokwethulwa. UBordne, owayeseLaunch Control Center kanye nokapteni, wayekwazi ngokuqondile lokho okwashiwo ekupheleni komugqa phakathi nalezo zingxoxo—ngaphandle uma ukaputeni edlulisela ngokuqondile kuBordne kanye namanye amalungu amabili eqembu laseLaunch Control Center ukuthi yini. kusho elinye iphoyisa lokwethula lolu hlelo.

Ngokuvunywa kwalowo mkhawulo, nansi i-akhawunti ka-Bordne yezehlakalo ezalandela ngalobo busuku:

Ngokushesha ngemva kokuvula isikhwama sakhe nokuqinisekisa ukuthi wayethole imiyalo yokuqhumisa imicibisholo enuzi emine ngaphansi komyalo wakhe, uKapteni Bassett waveza umcabango wokuthi kukhona okushaya amanzi, uBordne wangitshela. Imiyalo yokwethulwa kwezikhali zenuzi bekufanele ikhishwe kuphela ngesikhathi esiphezulu sokuqapha; ngempela lona bekuwumehluko omkhulu phakathi kwe-DEFCON 2 ne-DEFCON1. U-Bordne ukhumbula ukapteni ethi, “Asikakutholi ukuthuthukela ku-DEFCON1, nokuyinto engekho emthethweni, futhi kudingeka siqhubeke ngokuqapha. Lokhu kungase kube yinto yangempela, noma isiphithiphithi esikhulu kunazo zonke esike sabhekana naso ekuphileni kwethu.”

Ngenkathi ukapteni exoxisana ngocingo nezinye izikhulu zokwethulwa, ithimba lazibuza ukuthi ngabe i-oda le-DEFCON1 liboshwe yisitha, kanti umbiko wesimo sezulu kanye nekhodi yokwethulwa komyalelo ukwazile ukudlula ngandlela thize. Futhi, u-Bordne uyakhumbula, ukapteni udlulise okunye ukukhathazeka okuvela kwesinye isikhulu sokwethula: Ukuhlasela okucashile kwase kuqalile, futhi lapho kuphuthuma ukuphendula, abaphathi base besichithile isinyathelo sokuya ku-DEFCON1. Ngemva kwezibalo ezithile ezisheshayo, amalungu eqembu abona ukuthi uma i-Okinawa bekuyizisulu zesiteleka sangaphambi kwesikhathi, bekufanele ngabe sebewuzwile umthelela. Njalo umzuzu owawudlula ngaphandle kwemisindo noma ukundindizela kokuqhuma kwenza le ncazelo engenzeka ibonakale ingenakwenzeka.

Noma kunjalo, ukuze abhekane nalokhu okungenzeka, uKapteni Bassett wayala izisebenzi zakhe ukuthi zihlole okokugcina ukuthi imicibisholo ikulungele yini ukudubula. Lapho ukaputeni efunda uhlu ababehloselwe lona, ​​izisebenzi zamangala lapho ezintathu kwezine ezazihlosiwe hhayi eRussia. Kuleli qophelo, uBordne uyakhumbula, kwakhala ucingo oluphakathi nendawo. Kwakungesinye isiphathimandla sokwethulwa, ebika ukuthi uhlu lwakhe lunezinjongo ezimbili ezingezona ezaseRussia.Kungani kubhekiselwe emazweni angewona awokulwi? Bekungabonakali kulungile.

Ukaputeni uyalele ukuthi iminyango ye-bay yemicibisholo ejikijelwayo okungeyona eyaseRussia ihlale ivaliwe. Ube esevula isicabha lomcibisholo oqokwe eRussia. Kuleso simo, ingavuleka kalula indlela yonke (ngisho nangesandla), noma, uma bekunokuqhuma ngaphandle, umnyango ubuzovalwa ngokuqhuma kwawo, ngaleyo ndlela kwandise amathuba okuthi umcibisholo ungagibela ngaphandle. ukuhlasela. Ungene emsakazweni futhi weluleka bonke abanye abasebenzi ukuthi bathathe izinyathelo ezifanayo, kusalindwe “ukucaciswa” kokusakaza okuphakathi nendawo.

U-Bassett wabe eseshayela i-Missile Operations Centre futhi wacela, ngokuzenzisa ukuthi ukuthunyelwa kwangempela kwakungavelanga ngokucacile, ukuthi umbiko wamaphakathi neshifu udluliselwe kabusha. Ithemba bekungukuthi lokhu kuzosiza labo abasesikhungweni ukuthi babone ukuthi incwadi yokuqala ebhalwe ngekhodi ikhishwe ngephutha futhi bazosebenzisa ukudluliswa kabusha ukulungisa izinto. Okwakwethusa lonke ithimba, ngemva kokuhlolwa kwesikhathi kanye nokubuyekezwa kwesimo sezulu, umyalelo wokwethulwa ngekhodi waphindwa, ungashintshiwe. Nabanye abasebenzi abayisikhombisa bezwa ukuphindwaphindwa komyalelo.

Ngokusho kwe-akhawunti kaBordne-okuyinto, khumbula, isekelwe ekuzweleni uhlangothi olulodwa locingo-isimo seqembu elilodwa lokwethula sasishubile: Zonke izinhloso zayo zaziseRussia. Isikhulu sayo sokwethula, u-lieutenant, akazange avume igunya lesikhulu esiphezulu—okungukuthi, uCapt. Bassett—ukweqa umyalo ophindwayo manje womphathi omkhulu. Isikhulu sesibili sokwethulwa kwempahla kuleyo ndawo sabikela uBassett ukuthi umphathi wamaphoyisa uyalele izisebenzi zakhe ukuba ziqhubeke nokuqhumisa imicibisholo yayo! Ngokushesha uBassett wayala esinye isiphathimandla sokuqalisa umsebenzi, njengoba uBordne ekhumbula, “ukuba sithumele izisebenzi zezindiza ezimbili nezikhali futhi zidubule [uLieutenant] uma ezama ukuqalisa ngaphandle [kuphakathi] kokugunyazwa ngomlomo okuvela 'kusikhulu esiphezulu endaweni' noma ukuthuthukisa. ukuya ku-DEFCON 1 yi-Missile Operations Center. Cishe amayadi angu-30 omhubhe ongaphansi komhlaba ahlukanise i-Launch Control Centers ezimbili.

Ngalesi sikhathi esicindezela kakhulu, u-Bordne uthi, kungazelelwe kwafika kuye ukuthi kwakungavamile kakhulu ukuthi umyalelo obaluleke kangaka uzokhishwa kuze kube sekupheleni kombiko wesimo sezulu. Kuphinde kwamxaka ukuthi uthishanhloko wayewuphindaphinde umyalelo obhalwe ngekhodi ngaphandle kokuncane ukucindezelwa ezwini lakhe, njengokungathi kuyisicefe esiyisicefe. Amanye amalungu eqembu avuma; Ngokushesha uBassett wanquma ukufonela umphathi omkhulu futhi wathi udinga enye yezinto ezimbili:

• Phakamisa ileveli ye-DEFCON iye ku-1, noma
• Khipha i-oda lokumisa phansi lokuqalisa.

Uma sibheka kulokho uBordne athi wezwa ngengxoxo yocingo, lesi sicelo sathola ukusabela okugcwele ukucindezeleka okuvela kumphathi, owathatha ngokushesha umsakazo wafunda umyalelo omusha onekhodi. Kwaba umyalo wokuba kumiswe imicibisholo ecitshwayo ... futhi, kanjalo nje, isigameko sase siphelile.

Ukuhlola kabili ukuthi inhlekelele ivinjiwe ngempela, uKapteni Bassett wacela futhi wathola isiqinisekiso kwamanye amaphoyisa okwethulwa komcimbi ukuthi akukho micibisholo ejikijelwe.

Ekuqaleni kwale nkinga, uBordne uthi, uKapteni Bassett wayexwayise amadoda akhe, “Uma lokhu kuyiphutha futhi singaqalisi, ngeke siqashelwe, futhi lokhu akuzange kwenzeke.” Manje, ekupheleni kwakho konke, wathi, “Akekho phakathi kwethu ozoxoxa nganoma yini eyenzekile lapha kulobubusuku, futhi ngiqonde ukuthi. lutho. Azikho izingxoxo emabhalekisini, endaweni yokucima ukoma, noma lapha endaweni yokwethulwa. Awubhali ngisho ekhaya ngalokhu. Ingabe ngizenza ngicace ngokuphelele ngale ndaba?”

Kwaphela iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-50 kuthulekile.

Kungani uhulumeni kufanele abheke futhi akhulule amarekhodi. Ngokushesha. Manje njengoba esehamba ngesihlalo esinamasondo, u-Bordne uzame, kuze kube manje kodwa akazange aphumelele, ukulandelela amarekhodi ahlobene nesigameko sase-Okinawa. Uphikisa ngokuthi kwenziwa uphenyo futhi isikhulu ngasinye sokwethula imibuzo sabuzwa. Ngemva kwenyanga noma ngaphezulu, uBordne uthi, babizwe ukuthi babambe iqhaza enkantolo yezempi yesikhulu esikhiphe imiyalo yokwethulwa. U-Bordne uthi uKapteni Bassett, ekuphuleni umthetho wakhe oyimfihlo kuphela, utshele ithimba lakhe ukuthi omkhulu wehlisiwe futhi waphoqeleka ukuthi athathe umhlalaphansi ngesikhathi somsebenzi omncane weminyaka engu-20, okuyinto ayesezoyifeza noma kunjalo. Azikho ezinye izenzo ezathathwa—ngisho nokuncoma izikhulu ezivimbele impi yenuzi.

U-Bassett washona ngoMeyi 2011. U-Bordne ungene ku-inthanethi emzamweni wokuthola amanye amalungu eqembu lokuqalisa angakwazi ukusiza ukugcwalisa izinkumbulo zakhe. I-National Security Archives, ithimba labaqaphi elizinze eGeorge Washington University's Gelman Library, ifake isicelo seFreedom of Information Act ne-Air Force, ifuna amarekhodi ahlobene nesigameko sase-Okinawa, kodwa izicelo ezinjalo ngokuvamile azibangeli ukukhululwa kwamarekhodi. iminyaka, uma kwenzeka.

Ngiyabona ukuthi i-akhawunti ka-Bordne ayiqinisekiswanga ngokuphelele. Kodwa ngithola ukuthi ubeneqiniso ngokungaguquki ezindabeni engingaqinisekisa ngazo. Isigameko salokhu kungenisa, ngikholwa ukuthi akufanele sincike ebufakazini bomuntu oyedwa. I-Air Force kanye nezinye izinhlaka zikahulumeni kufanele zenze noma yimaphi amarekhodi abawaphethe ahlobene nalesi sigameko atholakale ewonke—futhi ngokushesha. Sekuyisikhathi eside umphakathi wethulwa isithombe esingamanga sezingozi ezikhona ekusetshenzisweni kwezikhali zenuzi.

Umhlaba wonke unelungelo lokwazi lonke iqiniso ngengozi yenuzi ebhekene nayo.

Inothi lomhleli: Njengoba lesi sihloko besicatshangelwa ukuthi sishicilelwe, uDaniel Ellsberg, ngubani wayengumxhumanisi weRandi eMnyangweni Wezokuvikela ngesikhathi seCuban Missile Crisis, wabhala umlayezo omude we-imeyili ku I-Bulletin, ngesicelo sikaTovish. Umlayezo wagomela, ngokwengxenye: “Nginomuzwa wokuthi kuyaphuthuma ukuthola ukuthi ingabe indaba kaBordne kanye neziphetho zikaTovish ezingakashintshi kuyo ziyiqiniso yini, uma kubhekwa imiphumela yeqiniso layo ezingozini zamanje, hhayi umlando odlule kuphela. Futhi lokho akukwazi ukulinda ukuphathwa kwamanje 'okujwayelekile' kwesicelo se-FOIA yi-National Security Archive, noma I-Bulletin. Uphenyo lwekhongolose luzokwenzeka kuphela, kubonakala sengathi I-Bulletin ishicilela lo mbiko obiyelwe ngokucophelela kanye nesicelo sayo sokuba imibhalo enemininingwane ebikwe ukuthi ikhona evela ophenyweni olusemthethweni ukuze ikhishwe ekuhlukaniseni isikhathi eside ngendlela engenakuthethelelwa (nakuba kubikezelwe kakhulu).” 

Phakathi nalesi sikhathi esifanayo, Bruce Blair, arUmcwaningi wasePrinceton University's Programme on Science and Global Security, naye wabhala umlayezo we-imeyili oya ku I-Bulletin. Lona wonke umlayezo: “U-Aroni Tovish ungicele ukuba ngilinganise nawe uma ngikholwa ukuthi ucezu lwakhe kufanele lushicilelwe encwadini. I-Bulletin, noma iyiphi indawo yokuphuma. Ngikholwa ukuthi kufanele kube njalo, nakuba kungakaqinisekiswa ngokugcwele okwamanje. Kuyangimangaza ukuthi i-akhawunti yokuqala evela emthonjeni othembekile eqenjini lokwethula ngokwayo ihamba ibanga elide ekutholeni ukuba nokwenzeka kwe-akhawunti. Kuphinde kungishaye njengokulandelana kwezehlakalo okunengqondo, ngokusekelwe olwazini lwami lomyalo wenuzi nezinqubo zokulawula phakathi nenkathi (nakamuva). Eqinisweni, akumangazi nakimi ukuthi umyalo wokwethulwa uzodluliselwa kubasebenzi bokwethulwa kwezikhali zenuzi. Kwenzeke izikhathi ezimbalwa ngokwazi kwami, futhi cishe izikhathi eziningi kunalokho engikwaziyo. Kwenzeka ngesikhathi sempi yaseMpumalanga Ephakathi yango-1967, lapho ithimba lendiza yenuzi elithwala izindiza lithunyelwa umyalo wangempela wokuhlasela esikhundleni sohlelo lwenuzi lokuzivivinya/lokuqeqesha. Kwenzeka ekuqaleni kwawo-1970 lapho [i-Strategic Air Command, i-Omaha] ithumela kabusha umsebenzi ... i-oda lokuqalisa njengohlelo lokwethulwa kwangempela lomhlaba wangempela. (Ngingaqinisekisa lokhu mathupha njengoba i-snafu yaziswa kubasebenzi bokwethulwa be-Minuteman maduze nje ngemva kwalokho.) Kuzo zombili lezi zigameko, ukuhlola ikhodi (iziqinisekisi ezivaliwe esehlakalweni sokuqala,kanye nokuqinisekiswa kwefomethi yomlayezo okwesibili) yehlulekile, ngokungafani nesigameko esishiwo yilungu leqembu lokwethula esihlokweni sika-Aaron. Kodwa uthola ukukhukhuleka lapha. Kwakungeyona into engavamile ukuthi lezi zinhlobo ze-snafus zenzeke. Into eyodwa yokugcina ukuqinisa leli phuzu: I-US eseduze kakhulu yafika esinqumweni sokwethulwa kwesu lokungahlosile esenziwe nguMongameli senzeka ngo-1979, lapho itheyipu yokuqeqesha isexwayiso sangaphambi kwesikhathi ye-NORAD ebonisa isiteleka sesu esigcwele saseSoviet singena ngokungaqondile kunethiwekhi yangempela yesixwayiso. Umeluleki Wezokuphepha Kuzwelonke Zbigniew UBrzezinski washayelwa ucingo kabili ebusuku watshelwa ukuthi i-US iyahlaselwa, futhi ubevele ecosha ucingo ukuze anxenxe uMengameli uCarter ukuthi impendulo ephelele idinga ukugunyazwa ngokushesha, lapho ucingo lwesithathu lumtshela ukuthi kungamanga. i-alamu.

Ngiyakuqonda futhi ngiyakwazisa ukuqapha kwakho kokuhlela lapha. Kodwa ngokubona kwami, isisindo sobufakazi kanye nefa lamaphutha amakhulu enuzi kuyahlangana ukuze kuthethelelwe ukushicilela lesi siqeshana. Ngicabanga ukuthi bathepha isikali. Lowo ngumbono wami, ngalokho okubalulekile.”

Engxoxweni ye-imeyili ne I-Bulletin ngo-September, Ota, the Kyodo News sumlobi omdala, uthe “uyazethemba ngamaphesenti ayi-100” endabeni yakhe nge-akhawunti kaBordne yezehlakalo e-Okinawa “nakuba zisekhona izingcezu eziningi ezingekho.