telivision = television
Well, see, what apparently inspired this movie was that in November of ’79 and twice in June of ’80, maybe this is the same thing you’re talking about, they had computer malfunctions at NORAD, and it did signal that the U.S. was under attack by Soviet missiles, and American forces were put on alert. They figured it out within about 60 seconds or so, but that’s, of course that’s, when you were in Australia resting up, so you could come back here and kick hiney, right? You’ve been quite a critic of the military.
Hackworth: I was, at that point in time, I was involved in, and eventually leading, the anti-nuclear movement in Australia, for this very reason. The more I got into it, the first thing that bothered me was, Ronald Reagan and “evil empire” and all of that, frothing at the mouth at how we could use nuclear weapons, and yes we could lose 40,000,000 people, but it would be like losing a leg, no big thing. Or like stepping on an anthill, was another one of his expressions, and I thought, “Wow, how did this guy from a B-grade movie become the man with his finger on the button!” And I decided, at that time, to sound off and try to wake up Australia, and maybe more of the world.
Wow, he said we could lose 40 million, no problem?
Hackworth: Wouldn’t be a big thing.
OK, well…
Hackworth: He wouldn’t remember that right now.
No he wouldn’t. Let’s see if we can get to Defcom 3. Roll it.
[fading] Did you eat Vegamite, when you lived in Australia?
Hackworth: I did, I love Vegamite!
Oh my God, I think that stuff is vile. It’s like spreading stale, evaporated beer on a piece of toast.
Hackworth: You only had it once. Now you gotta try it twice