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And then there was Reagan's "My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing i

And then there was Reagan's "My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes."[0] I was in Moscow when that went public. The Soviet government was not amused. Edit: Also, Charles Stross' A Colder War.[1] 0) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_begin_bombing_in_five_minutes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_begin_bombing_in_five_minut... 1) http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/stories/colderwar.htm http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/stories/colderwar.htm

exabrial 8y ago
Removed from that quote is context of course, which is extremely relevant, but that didn't stop the media from making sure they induced a profiteering panic among the people that subscribed to them despite the outcome being possible nuclear death.
- mirimir 8y ago
  Well, of course, he was joking. Just a sound check. I have no clue who leaked it, in what order. From a reprint of contemporaneous coverage, I gather that many technicians heard the remark.[0] And eventual news coverage mainly served to put rumors at rest. 0) https://web.archive.org/web/20180917150154/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/14/ronald-reagan-bombing-russia-joke-archive-1984 https://web.archive.org/web/20180917150154/https://www.thegu...
  - Rebelgecko 8y ago
    There's some interesting videos on YouTube from people who used satellite dishes to grab unencrypted transmissions that weren't intended for the public (although I don't know if that was the case here). Things like reporters talking shit about guests during a commercial break (since commercials were spliced in later on), Bill Clinton getting his makeup done, etc. There's an interesting documentary/compilation at [1] although in my opinion it's a little overly dramatic. [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdXtIJNNVZM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdXtIJNNVZM
    - mirimir 8y ago
      No, this was routine setup and testing. You had to actually record something, and play it back, to make sure that gear was working properly. Your link reminds me of Cronenberg's Videodrome :)
arethuza 8y ago
Of course, the ending of A Colder War is far far worse than everyone simply dying in a nuclear war...

exabrial 8y ago

Removed from that quote is context of course, which is extremely relevant, but that didn't stop the media from making sure they induced a profiteering panic among the people that subscribed to them despite the outcome being possible nuclear death.

mirimir 8y ago
Well, of course, he was joking. Just a sound check. I have no clue who leaked it, in what order. From a reprint of contemporaneous coverage, I gather that many technicians heard the remark.[0] And eventual news coverage mainly served to put rumors at rest. 0) https://web.archive.org/web/20180917150154/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/14/ronald-reagan-bombing-russia-joke-archive-1984 https://web.archive.org/web/20180917150154/https://www.thegu...
- Rebelgecko 8y ago
  There's some interesting videos on YouTube from people who used satellite dishes to grab unencrypted transmissions that weren't intended for the public (although I don't know if that was the case here). Things like reporters talking shit about guests during a commercial break (since commercials were spliced in later on), Bill Clinton getting his makeup done, etc. There's an interesting documentary/compilation at [1] although in my opinion it's a little overly dramatic. [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdXtIJNNVZM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdXtIJNNVZM
  - mirimir 8y ago
    No, this was routine setup and testing. You had to actually record something, and play it back, to make sure that gear was working properly. Your link reminds me of Cronenberg's Videodrome :)

arethuza 8y ago

Of course, the ending of A Colder War is far far worse than everyone simply dying in a nuclear war...