With global conflicts escalating, the unthinkable is inching closer to reality. According to Author and Pulitzer finalist, Annie Jacobsen, if a nuclear war was to happen, only two countries stand a realistic chance of survival.
“If nuclear war were to break out, five billion lives could be lost within a little over an hour,” says Jacobsen. The scope of devastation is unimaginable. But the timeline? Even more terrifying.
“It takes just 26 minutes and 40 seconds for a ballistic missile to travel from Russia to the US East Coast,” Jacobsen revealed on The Diary of a CEO podcast.
In the event of a nuclear war, the US President has only six minutes to make a life-or-death choice from a classified “Black Book” of counterattack options.
As bleak as the outlook may seem, Jacobsen offers a faint light: New Zealand and Australia. Geographically isolated, agriculturally resilient, and far from primary targets—they may be the few places where life can cling on, according to Annie.
Investigative journalist, author of works like Area 51 and The Pentagon’s Brain, and a Pulitzer Prize finalist, Jacobsen is renowned for exposing the truth behind military secrets.