Missile
dir. Frederick Wiseman · 1988
The experience of being alive involves grappling with the moral complexities and responsibilities of power in a world where technology can lead to destruction.
A group of Air Force officers at Vandenberg Air Force Base engage in rigorous training for the launch control of Minuteman missiles, grappling with the weight of their responsibilities. Watching this film is like stepping into a world where the cold calculations of military strategy collide with the deeply personal moral dilemmas faced by those who wield such power.
MISSILE follows the 4315th Training Squadron of the Strategic Air Command at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, where Air Force officers are trained to man the Launch Control Centers for the Minuteman Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. Sequences include discussion of the moral and military issues of nuclear war; the arming, targeting and launching of the missile; codes; communications; protection against terrorist attack; emergency procedures; staff meetings and tutorial sessions.
Talking points
- the morality of nuclear warfare
- the role of military training in society
- the impact of institutional structures on individual ethics
- the psychological effects of war on soldiers
