History Headscratchers / TheDayAfter

** The authentication "Delta X-ray" isn't the code to launch the missiles. Missiles (at least our Minutemen [=IIIs=]) require keys to launch. The codes you are hearing throughout the film are just authentications that the missile combat crews use to make sure it's an authorized launch and not a Soviet trick/or rouge government.
** The issue of password strength was new at the time: ''Film/WarGames'' only premiered at the Cannes Film Festival six months earlier, and the US government had just started to take the threat from computer hacking seriously. In fact, unauthorised hacking of computers did not become illegal until [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comprehensive_Crime_Control_Act_of_1984 1984 in the US]], and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_Misuse_Act_1990 1990 in the UK]]. However, a long and complex authentication code would risk scuppering the retaliation if the Soviets suddenly lopped all their nukes at them with no prior warning: according to ''Film/TheWarGame'', submarine-launched missiles would have cut the [[Main/RedAlert warning time]] to less than 30 seconds.

** The issue of password strength was new at the time: ''Film/WarGames'' only premiered at the Cannes Film Festival six months earlier, and the US government had just started to take the threat from security hacking seriously. In fact, unauthorised hacking of computers did not become illegal until [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comprehensive_Crime_Control_Act_of_1984 1984 in the US]], and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_Misuse_Act_1990 1990 in the UK]]. However, a strong launch code would risk scuppering the retaliation if the Soviets suddenly lopped all their nukes at them with no prior warning: according to ''Film/TheWarGame'', submarine-launched missiles would have cut the [[Main/RedAlert warning time]] to less than 30 seconds.
* The authentication Delta-Xray isn't the code to launch the missiles. Missiles (At least our Minutemen 3s) require keys to launch. The codes you are hearing throughout the film are just authentications that the missile combat crews use to make sure it's an authorized launch and not a Soviet trick/or rouge government.

** The issue of password strength was a new issue at the time: ''Film/WarGames'' only premiered at the Cannes Film Festival six months earlier, and the US government had just started to take the threat from security hacking seriously. In fact, unauthorised hacking of computers did not become illegal until [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comprehensive_Crime_Control_Act_of_1984 1984 in the US]], and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_Misuse_Act_1990 1990 in the UK]]. However, a strong launch code would risk scuppering the retaliation if the Soviets suddenly lopped all their nukes at them with no prior warning: according to ''Film/TheWarGame'', submarine-launched missiles would have cut the [[Main/RedAlert warning time]] to less than 30 seconds.

* The authentication Delta-Xray isn't the code to launch the missiles. Missiles (At least our Minutemen IIIs) require keys to launch. The codes you are hearing throughout the film are just authentications that the missile combat crews use to make sure it's an authorized launch and not a Soviet trick/or rouge government.

** The issue of password strength was a new issue at the time: ''Film/WarGames'' only premiered at the Cannes Film Festival six months earlier, and the US government had just started to take the threat from security hacking seriously. In fact, unauthorised hacking of computers did not become illegal until [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comprehensive_Crime_Control_Act_of_1984 1984 in the US]], and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_Misuse_Act_1990 1990 in the UK]]. However, a strong launch code would risk scuppering the retaliation if the Soviets suddenly lopped all their nukes at them with no prior warning: according to ''Film/TheWarGame'', submarine-launched missiles would have cut the [[Main/RedAlert warning time]] to less than 30 seconds.

** The issue of password strength was a new issue at the time: ''Film/WarGames'' only premiered at the Cannes Film Festival six months earlier, and the US government had just started to take the threat from security hacking seriously. In fact, unauthorised hacking of computers did not become illegal until [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comprehensive_Crime_Control_Act_of_1984 1984 in the US]], and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_Misuse_Act_1990 1990 in the UK]].

* During the "entering the launch codes" scene, we hear a couple of the codes over the radio. One of them is apparently just "Delta,X-ray". The Nuclear launch code is just ''[[ThePasswordIsAlwaysSwordfish two letters?]]''

** It's just a ribbon. There's no particular reason why it has to be a ''hair'' ribbon. Denise was merely making tragic conversation. Steven and many other people are visibly wearing it on their arms.

*** Not just overkill. Planners had to assume that a large number of missiles would miss their targets (Against "hard" targets like ICBM silos, strategic command posts, and some megastructures, even a nuke has to hit very close), be shot down by [=SAMs=] (exceptionally difficult, but possible), or simply malfunction (rain, manufacturing flaws, blast from other warheads). After the Soviet Union fell, documents were obtained suggesting that Soviet planners assumed a thirty percent failure rate, and a high number of misses. That's why they targeted so many missiles in the first place.

** In RealLife they use color-coded tags. The reason they use color coded tags is that if they run out of tags, they can still rely on the color codes with whatever happens to be convenient - scraps of paper, cloth, markers, or in this case, ribbon. Black is code for "don't waste medical attention on this person, they are doomed." The real life tags have red (meaning needs immediate medical intervention) and black on the same tear-off strip so that the red tag can be quickly removed if immediate medical help is not available.

** The idea was that it was all they had.

*** In addition, Soviet strategists were convinced that the US intended to launch a first strike against Soviet missile bases at some point[[hottip:*:In a sense we did have such a policy, in that we never renounced a first-strike posture in GodzillaThreshold situations such as the one presented in the film-- the Soviets had, at least publicly]], so they built massive redundancy into their targeting systems. Kansas City itself was likely targeted in real life by fifteen or more missiles, all originating from different launch sites, and each target - Whiteman Air Force Base, the ICBM sites, the Kansas City Plant - was likely similarly overtargeted.

*** In addition, Soviet strategists were convinced that the US intended to launch a first strike against Soviet missile bases at some point[[hottip:*:In a sence we did have such a policy, in that we never renounced a first-strike posture in GodzillaThreshold situations such as the one presented in the film-- the Soviets had, at least publicly]], so they built massive redundancy into their targeting systems. Kansas City itself was likely targeted in real life by fifteen or more missiles, all originating from different launch sites, and each target - Whiteman Air Force Base, the ICBM sites, the Kansas City Plant - was likely similarly overtargeted.

*** In addition, Soviet strategists were convinced that the US intended to launch a first strike against Soviet missile bases at some point, so they built massive redundancy into their targeting systems. Kansas City itself was likely targeted in real life by fifteen or more missiles, all originating from different launch sites, and each target - Whiteman Air Force Base, the ICBM sites, the Kansas City Plant - was likely similarly overtargeted.

*** Not just overkill. Planners had to assume that a large number of missiles would miss their targets (Against "hard" targets like ICBM silos, strategic command posts, and some megastructures, even a nuke has to hit very close), be shot down by [=SAMs=] (exceptionally difficult, but possible), or simply malfunction (rain, manufacturing flaws, blast from other warheads). After the Soviet union fell, documents were obtained suggesting that Soviet planners assumed a thirty percent failure rate, and a high number of misses. That's why they targeted so many missiles in the first place.

* Really, why are they using hair ribbons as a mark? How did that conversation go? "Hmm, how should we identify people with no chance of survival, many of whom are losing hair? I know! How about a hair ribbon? That's makes total sense!"

*** Nurse Bauer's [[spoiler:death]] scene

*** In addition, Soviet strategists were convinced that the US intended to launch a first strike against Soviet missile bases at some point, so they built massive redundancy into their targeting systems. Kansas City itself was likely targeted in real life by fifteen or more missiles, all originating from different launch sites, and each target - Whiteman Air Force Base, the ICBM sites, the Kansas City Plant - was likely similarly overtargeted.

*** In addition, Soviet strategists were convinced at this point that the Americans eventually intended to launch a first strike against Soviet missile bases, so they built massive redundancy into their targeting system. Kansas City itself was likely targeted in real life by fifteen or more missiles, all originating from different launch sites, and each target - Sedalia force base, the ICBM sites, the Kansas City Plant - was likely similarly overtargeted.

*** The Soviets also didn't have any specifics about how well-defended US targets were. They had to figure in not just failure (as mentioned above) but also anti-missile defences. In addition, Soviet strategists were convinced at this point that the Americans eventually intended to launch a first strike against Soviet missile bases, so they built massive redundancy into their targeting system. Kansas City itself was likely targeted in real life by fifteen or more missiles, all originating from different launch sites, and each target - Sedalia force base, the ICBM sites, the Kansas City Plant - was likely similarly overtargeted.

*** The Soviets also didn't have any specifics about how well-defended US targets were. They had to figure in not just failure (as mentioned above) but also anti-missile defences. In addition, Soviet strategists were convinced at this point that the Americans eventually intended to launch a first strike against Soviet missile bases, so they built massive redundancy into their targeting system. Kansas City itself was likely targeted in real life by fifteen or more missiles, all originating from different launch sites, and each target - the air force base, the ICBM sites, the Kansas City plant - were likely similarly overtargeted.

*** Not just overkill. Planners had to assume that a large number of missiles would miss their targets (Against "hard" targets like ICBM silos, strategic command posts, and some megastructures, even a nuke has to hit very close), be shot down by [=SAMs=] (exceptionally difficult, but possible), or simply malfunction (rain, manufacturing flaws, blast from other warheads). After the Soviet union fell, documents were obtained suggesting that Soviet planners assumed a THIRTY PERCENT failure rate, and a high number of misses. That's why they targeted so many missiles in the first place.

*** Not just overkill. Planners had to assume that a large number of missiles would miss their targets (Against "hard" targets like ICBM silos, strategic command posts, and some megastructures, even a nuke has to hit very close), be shot down by SAMs (exceptionally difficult, but possible), or simply malfunction (rain, manufacturing flaws, blast from other warheads). After the Soviet union fell, documents were obtained suggesting that Soviet planners assumed a THIRTY PERCENT failure rate, and a high number of misses. That's why they targeted so many missiles in the first place.