The Letter Of Last Resort - PMs letter to Nuke Sub Captains

[Clinton Huxley]

One of the first acts of a new British Prime Minister is to write 4 copies of a letter called "The letter of last resort". One copy of this letter is then placed in each of the 4 Trident submarines that carry the UK's nuclear deterrent. One of these subs is always on patrol. No-one but the PM knows what is in the letters
and the previous PMs letters are destroyed unopened upon the election of a new PM. The letter is to be opened by the submarine captain if they believe that the UK has been destroyed by a pre-emptive nuclear strike. The letters are thought to contain ONE of the following 4 commands, the option being up to the PM:-

1) Retaliate against the enemy
2) Do NOT retaliate against the enemy
3) Captain to use own judgement
4) Place the submarine, if possible, under the control of a friendly power, either the USA or Australia.

The "letter of last resort", if opened and acted upon, would constitute the very last act of the British state.

What would you do? Personally, I'd opt for option 4. Seems no point in retaliating, deterrence has already failed and there's no point adding to the destruction.

[Rum]

'Don't retaliate' followed by 'wait and see what happens next'. Followed by 3.

[Clinton Huxley]

It is suspected that Thatcher chose option 1.

[JimC]

Come to Australia is obviously the best option...

It will at least stretch things out for a while...

"On the Beach" showed us that...

[Clinton Huxley]

Come to Australia is obviously the best option...

It will at least stretch things out for a while...

"On the Beach" showed us that...

I'd rather send the sub to Oz than the USA.

[JimC]

BTW, welcome back, matey...

The discerning members of Ratz have missed you...

[MrJonno]

1) Retaliate against the enemy
2) Do NOT retaliate against the enemy
3) Captain to use own judgement
4) Place the submarine, if possible, under the control of a friendly power, either the USA or Australia.

What's wrong with 5) nuke Paris ?

[Clinton Huxley]

It's got to go to a new PMs head a little, day 1 on the job and the Chief of the Defence Staff sidles up to you and says, "PM, we need to have a little chat about the nuclear weapons..."

[Clinton Huxley]

1) Retaliate against the enemy
2) Do NOT retaliate against the enemy
3) Captain to use own judgement
4) Place the submarine, if possible, under the control of a friendly power, either the USA or Australia.

What's wrong with 5) nuke Paris ?

Well, that is a valid answer to most problems....

[cronus]

Cameron chose 1 because he copies everything Thatcher did. I would allow the Captain to use his own judgement myself.

[MrJonno]

Cameron chose 1 because he copies everything Thatcher did. I would allow the Captain to use his own judgement myself.

It's not the Captain job to make strategic decisions , if no authority is left then no strategic decisions should be made and the captain only responsibility left is to protect his ship and crew as he can't protect his country anymore

[cronus]

Cameron chose 1 because he copies everything Thatcher did. I would allow the Captain to use his own judgement myself.

It's not the Captain job to make strategic decisions , if no authority is left then no strategic decisions should be made and the captain only responsibility left is to protect his ship and crew as he can't protect his country anymore

He and the crew might just do it for vengeance sake if they know their families are toast.

[Clinton Huxley]

Cameron chose 1 because he copies everything Thatcher did. I would allow the Captain to use his own judgement myself.

It's not the Captain job to make strategic decisions , if no authority is left then no strategic decisions should be made and the captain only responsibility left is to protect his ship and crew as he can't protect his country anymore

Aye, there's nothing that can force the Captain to obey any order at this point, apart from vows to Queen and Country and military discipline and habits of obedience.

[MrJonno]

Cameron chose 1 because he copies everything Thatcher did. I would allow the Captain to use his own judgement myself.

It's not the Captain job to make strategic decisions , if no authority is left then no strategic decisions should be made and the captain only responsibility left is to protect his ship and crew as he can't protect his country anymore

Aye, there's nothing that can force the Captain to obey any order at this point, apart from vows to Queen and Country and military discipline and habits of obedience.

And being a decent human being (given the circumstances)

[Gawdzilla Sama]

4) Place the submarine, if possible, under the control of a friendly power, either the USA or Australia.

Well, which is it?