Charles Lindbergh is commissioned by the U.S. government to assess the state of SAC (Strategic Air Command), the branch of the U.S. Air Force dedicated to a possible American nuclear counterattack. Lindbergh finds morale low, training poor, landings risky, frequent accidents, and poor maintenance. After only a month, General Kenney is relieved of command and replaced by General Curtis E. LeMay. LeMay is considered a war hero, having revolutionized bombing practices on both the Pacific and European fronts. Nicknamed “Iron Ass,” he is seen as an innovator by his admirers and a ruthless mass murderer of civilians by his detractors. However, he will revolutionize SAC, making it a reliable and lethal counterattack instrument, unparalleled in American and world history. He will always focus on attack rather than defense, always emphasizing that there are no “limited” wars: war, for those directly involved and at risk of losing their lives or those of their loved ones, is always “total.”
