Trinity's Child

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Trinity's Child

First edition
Author	William Prochnau
Language	English
Publisher	Putnam Pub Group
Publication date	October 1983
Pages	400 (Hardcover)
ISBN	978-0-399-12777-9

Trinity's Child is a 1983 novel by William Prochnau. The book depicts a nuclear war waged between the United States and the Soviet Union.^[1] During the waning years of the Cold War, the US engaged in a massive military buildup and hoped to press the Soviet economy to breaking point to force it into political compromise.

In the book's scenario, hardline elements pressure the Soviet premier into launching an attack on the US before it has the chance to squeeze the Soviets any more.

The attack goes forward, and all the consequences of the doomsday scenario are laid bare, with conflicting claimants to the US presidency as the line of succession breaks apart, devastation on the ground, and military staff having to choose between a treason, which might save what is left of their country, and a duty which might lead to the extinction of the human race itself.

The novel covers fifteen hours in which critical decisions are made.

Plot[]

The US president is informed by the head of SAC that a Soviet first strike is underway. The Soviet premier offers the United States three choices via a HOTLINE message:

1. Accept the damage, and the exchange will end.
2. Respond in kind, which will cause the deaths of 3 to 9 million people on both sides.
3. Respond with a massive counterattack, and the Soviets will respond in kind.

As the order to respond in kind is passed on, the first wave of Soviet ICBMs and SLBMs arrive and cripple most of America's missile silos and bomber bases. A Soviet missile detonates near Chevy Chase, Maryland, and the President is told that the Soviets have launched a second strike. The president reluctantly gives a second order to respond just before SAC and Omaha, Nebraska, are destroyed. As he is being evacuated from the White House, the president is told that the second Soviet launch was directed at the Chinese, which means a second strike by the United States is unnecessary. A nearby detonation causes Marine One to crash and seemingly kills the president.

As missiles speed towards their targets and the alert goes out, the novel begins its sub-plot: tracking the actions of "Polar Bear One," a nuclear-armed B-52 bomber. The craft speeds towards the Soviet Union to await orders.

Believing the president to be dead, a US Navy admiral codenamed "Harpoon" is given the assignment of locating a successor, who turns out to be the US Secretary of the Interior. He is sworn in and given the codename "Condor." Harpoon's Boeing E-4B becomes the American military's new command center. It is revealed that Baton Rouge, Seattle, Los Angeles, Colorado Springs, New Orleans, Phoenix, Raleigh, Honolulu and Washington, DC, have also been destroyed, and massive social disorder and rioting have broken out in the remaining cities across the country. It is briefly mentioned that Europe remained neutral during the conflict, but that India and Israel have declared war on Pakistan.

Harpoon urges Condor to turn the bombers around to see if the Soviets respond in kind as a way of signaling an intent to de-escalate, since communications are down and direct talks have not been possible since the explosions. Colonel Fargo, a Soviet capabilities expert, suggests a decapitation strike targeting Soviet leadership bunkers with America's nuclear submarines. Believing that the US is "losing" the war, Condor orders the decapitation strike. Polar Bear One refuses the E-4B's orders and turns around. Seeing that as a sign for a truce, the Soviets turn 15 of their bombers around. Condor is urged by "Alice," who is now in charge of SAC aboard the Looking Glass Plane, to turn around another squadron of B-52s in response, but Condor refuses.

It is then revealed that the president is still alive in a FEMA bunker outside Olney, Maryland. He learns that the Soviet premier is attempting to make contact through shortwave radio. Both negotiate a ceasefire. The president then contacts Alice, whom he orders to turn the bombers around. Alice, an Air Force general, cannot issue direct orders to the Navy, and the President's identity codes conflict with Condor's. The president contacts Condor to urge him to help secure a ceasefire, but Condor, believing he is a Soviet imposter, refuses. Alice tells the president that if both he and Condor give the submarines two different sets of orders, the submarines will go with the original orders (Condor's). The president and Alice attempt to create a plan to stop Condor. Alice suggests using the Looking Glass as a weapon to intercept the E-4B to kill Condor and to relinquish authority to the president.

Alice attempts to catch up to Condor during a seven-hour window until the submarines surface to listen for new orders, which is when Condor will give the order for the decapitation strike. With minutes left, the flight crew of the E-4B, which is loyal to Alice, turns the plane into the path of the Looking Glass and kills everyone on board both planes. Command is returned to the president, who orders a full cessation of hostilities. The Soviet Union responds in kind. But Polar Bear One's fate, and the outcomes of the conflicts in the Middle East and between the Soviets and Chinese are left unanswered.

Television adaptation[]

The book was made into a 1990 television movie, By Dawn's Early Light. There are some significant differences. Most significantly, the film has the initial nuclear exchange prompted by renegade Soviet terrorists, rather than being part of a Soviet plot. Another element of the film is a romantic subplot between the captain of the B-52 and his female co-pilot, which is absent and even ridiculed in the novel.

References[]

External links[]

• Trinity's Child