The President hesitated to open his canopy and a mechanic quickly climbed the plane and opened it from the outside.
"You all right, sir?" the man asked.
"Yes," The President answered, "just a little shook, son. I just had quite a ride. Gonna take a few moments for these old bones to feel comfortable.
"Ladder!" the mechanic screamed. He began to help The President undo his harness, and when he was finally ready, helped him stand. From there The President made it down the ladder himself.
"I've got one question," The President managed, "where's the restroom and, the shower?"
Everyone burst out laughing. "Right this way, sir!" one of the men managed.
In an hour The President was in the base's theater. It was packed with officers. There was no one below a Major. A projection unit had been set up and the transparencies The President had brought with him were ready. He came out on the stage and someone screamed "Attention!" Everyone came to their feet.
"At ease, gentlemen!" The President snapped, "Be seated, gentlemen, let me make one thing perfectly clear. I'm not here, I never was here, General Hayes gave this briefing."
The President turned on the projector and put in the first transparency. "This, gentlemen," he began, "is Operation Dill Pickle, the largest and most complex air borne operation ever conceived. And it's purpose is to seize Northern North Korea, completely cutting them off from the Chinese border, and any hope of clandestant supplies or reinforcements. Roughly these are where the drop zones will be. The British at Sinuiju, The Americans at Pyohtong. The Italians at Manpo, The French at Hyesan, The Israelis at Samjiyon, The Germans at Musan, The Russians at Hueryong. In addition to the airborne attacks, American marines will also land on the coast below Sinuiju, and British and French marines will land at Najun.
After The Italians and The French have securred their airfields The Greeks and The Turks will be flown in to reinforce them. The purpose of this force is to strike quickly, overwhelm the enemy, secure the borders, then push south as far as they can. Our staging areas will be in Russia, Japan, and South Korea. When Dill Pickle is secure, when all its objectives are met, Sweet Pickle will begin in the south. We will break through the DMZ at Pyonggang and push for Wansan. Once that is secure we will drive north for the nearest place we can connect with the units already there, clean out the enemy resistance in the pockets, then push on the capitol, Pyongyang if we have to, if The North Koreans haven't come to their senses by then.
The experts tell me that the ocean conditions for amphibious landings should be best in about a month's time, and a period of clear, cold weather should also begin just about that time. That we should have fairly good weather with a few occassional storms for the next month whcih is going to be fortunate, because before we attack North Korea, Operation Cucumber will commence, which will be round the clock bombing of North Korea.
I understand that besides their aircraft they have SIXTY surface to air missile batteries, and over 12,000 anti aircraft guns. I want NONE of those defenses operational when DIll Pickle is launched. ANYTHING the North Koreans have is to be on the ground and destroyed, or Dill Pickle does not go.
The aircraft clearing the landing zones of mines with hydrogen air bursts are NOT to be hindered. I should be back in Washington in twelve hours. The first thing I want to hear when I arrive there is that every North Korean anti aircraft site is OUT OF ACTION, and that their air force no longer exists. After their planes are gone, start in on their armor. I'm not too worried about their static fortifications, we can knock them out as need be. But their tanks and heavy artillery HAVE to be virtually eliminated before Dill Pickle is landed.
We'll hit them in the south first, and work our way north. Make it look like we are systematically sweeping the country. But the north must be virtually armor free when our forces come from the sky. Now remember, gentlemen, NONE of this goes on paper, NONE of it goes into a computer, none of it is talked about over the radio or, on line. All orders are to be given face to face. NOWHERE, absolutely NOWHERE must the enemy be able to find a SCRAP of information on this attack;.
No rumor will be put out that the air borne troops are being prepared for an assault on the capitol and that the amphibious forces will land on the coast near it. HOPEFULLY this will make the enemy draw on his reserves and position them around the capitol. Anybody got any problems? Any suggestions?"
A Russian officer rose. "Why have you given us a position so close to our homeland?" he asked.
The President looked at the map. "I drew lots," he answered, "drew out a city name and then drew out a country name. That's where your lots fell, General. But it's kind of convenient! Your men can be dropped and the planes can get back quickly, to be ready to reinforce other drops."

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