Dr. Strangelove

Gp Capt. Mandrake: General Ripper, sir, as an officer in Her Majesty's Air Force, it is my clear duty, under the present circumstances, to issue the recall code, upon my own authority, and bring back the wing. If you'll excuse me sir. [Mandrake tries all exits and finds them locked] I'm afraid sir, I must ask you for the key and the recall code. Have you got them handy sir? Gen. Ripper: I told you to take it easy, Group Captain. There's nothing anybody can do about this thing now. I'm the only person who knows the three letter code group. Gp Capt. Mandrake: Then I must insist, sir, that you give them to me. GP Capt. Mandrake: Do I take it, sir, that you are threatening a brother officer with a gun? Gen. Ripper: Mandrake, I suppose it never occurred to you that while we're chatting here so enjoyably, a decision is being made by the President and the Joint Chiefs in the war room at the Pentagon. And when they realize there is no possibility of recalling the wing, there will be only one c

Dr. Strangelove, CC BY-SA 4.0

President Muffley: Right. Now, General Turgidson, what's going on here? Gen. Turgidson: Mr. President, about, uh, 35 minutes ago, General Jack Ripper, the commanding general of, uh, Burpelson Air Force Base, issued an order to the 34 B-52's of his Wing, which were airborne at the time as part of a special exercise we were holding called Operation Drop-Kick. Now, it appears that the order called for the planes to, uh, attack their targets inside Russia. The, uh, planes are fully armed with nuclear weapons with an average load of, um, 40 megatons each. Now, the central display of Russia will indicate the position of the planes. The triangles are their primary targets; the squares are their secondary targets. The aircraft will begin penetrating Russian radar cover within, uh, 25 minutes. President Muffley: General Turgidson, I find this very difficult to understand. I was under the impression that I was the only one in authority to order the use of nuclear weapons. Gen. Turgidson: That's

Dr. Strangelove, CC BY-SA 4.0

Gen. Turgidson: General Ripper called Strategic Air Command Headquarters shortly after he issued the go code. I have a phone transcript of that conversation if you'd like me to read it. President Muffley: Read it. Gen. Turgidson: Ahem... The Duty Officer asked General Ripper to confirm the fact that he had issued the go code, and he said, uh, "Yes gentlemen, they are on their way in, and nobody can bring them back. For the sake of our country, and our way of life, I suggest you get the rest of SAC in after them. Otherwise, we will be totally destroyed by Red retaliation." Uh... "My boys will give you the best kind of start, 1400 megatons worth, and you sure as hell won't stop them now." Uhuh. Uh... "So let's get going, there's no other choice. God willing, we will prevail, in peace and freedom from fear, and in true health, through the purity and essence of our natural... fluids. God bless you all." And he hung up. Gen. Turgidson: Uh, we're... still trying to figure out the meaning of

Dr. Strangelove, CC BY-SA 4.0

Gen. Turgidson: Mr. President, we are rapidly approaching a moment of truth, both for ourselves as human beings and for the life of our nation. Now, truth is not always a pleasant thing. But it is necessary now to make a choice, to choose between two admittedly regrettable, but nevertheless distinguishable, post-war environments: one where you got 20 million people killed, and the other where you got 150 million people killed! President Muffley: You're talking about mass murder, General, not war. Gen. Turgidson: Mr. President, I'm not saying we wouldn't get our hair mussed, but I do say no more than 10 to 20 million killed, tops! Uh, depending on the breaks. President Muffley: I will not go down in history as the greatest mass murderer since Adolf Hitler. Gen. Turgidson: Perhaps it might be better, Mr. President, if you were more concerned with the American people, than with your image in the history books.

Dr. Strangelove, CC BY-SA 4.0

Gen. Turgidson: Is that the Russian ambassador you're talking about? President Muffley: Yes it is, General. Gen. Turgidson: A-A-Am I to understand the *Russian* ambassador is to be admitted entrance to th-the War Room? President Muffley: That is correct, he is here on my orders. Gen. Turgidson: I... I don't know exactly how to put this, sir, but are you aware of what a serious breach of security that would be? I mean, he'll see everything, he'll... he'll see the Big Board!

Dr. Strangelove, CC BY-SA 4.0

Gen. Ripper: Have you ever seen a Commie drink a glass of water? Gp Capt. Mandrake: Well, I can't say I have, Jack. Gen. Ripper: Vodka, that's what they drink, isn't it? Never water? Gp Capt. Mandrake: Well, I-I believe that's what they drink, Jack, yes. Gen. Ripper: On no account will a Commie ever drink water, and not without good reason. Gp Capt. Mandrake: Oh, eh, yes. I, uhm, can't quite see what you're getting at, Jack. Gen. Ripper: Water, that's what I'm getting at, water. Mandrake, water is the source of all life. Seven tenths of this Earth's surface is water. Why, do you realize that 70% of you is water? And as human beings, you and I need fresh, pure water - to replenish our precious bodily fluids. Are you beginning to understand? Gp Capt. Mandrake: [nervously] Yes. Gen. Ripper: Mandrake. Mandrake, have you never wondered why I drink only distilled water or rainwater? And only pure grain alcohol? Gp Capt. Mandrake: Well, it did occur to me, Jack, yes. Gen. Ripper: Have you eve

Dr. Strangelove, CC BY-SA 4.0