On October 5, 1960, a massive national investment in defense technology appeared to fail. The new Ballistic Missile Early Warning System, a pinnacle of innovation, indicated a massive Soviet missile strike, a direct threat to all American property, wealth, and enterprise. The tension inside NORAD reached a breaking point, the culmination of years of Cold War fear and incredible technological development. The electronic alert painted a picture of total annihilation, a scenario that would destroy