02221cam a22003613u 4500 61374 UtSlPG 20260610134420.0 m cr n 260607r2020||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Grow, Julian F. Countdown Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2020 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, March 1963 Release date is 2020-02-13 Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "Countdown" by Julian F. Grow is a science fiction story written in the early 1960s. This book explores the dire implications of nuclear warfare, set against the backdrop of a tense geopolitical climate. Through a countdown structure, it emphasizes the precarious balance of power between nations and the human capacity for destruction. The narrative unfolds in a world marked by ten years of uneasy peace after a catastrophic event, known as the Hour of Tragedy. The story revolves around three men from different nations, each positioned at the helm of their respective military networks, and faced with a dire choice: press the red button to unleash chaos or wait in uncertainty. Each man grapples with the burden of responsibility over millions of lives while confronting their existential fears. As tensions rise, the story delves into the fragility of the human psyche, ultimately culminating in a climactic moment where one man’s finger hovers over the button that could change the course of history forever. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified Science fiction Short stories Cold War -- Fiction Nuclear weapons -- Fiction Produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, March 1963 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/61374 102200 102200