David Soul and Rock Hudson in ‘World War lII’

Press, 4 October 1982, Page 22

David Soul and Rock Hudson in ‘World War lII’

The first part of a twopart story. "World War III." starring David Soul and Rock Hudson, will begin on One tomorrow at 8.30 p.m. It is December. 1987. Forty Soviet paratroopers in full Arctic gear, equipped with atomic weapons and artillery. land in a remote area of Alaska, under cover of a fierce snowstorm. The attackers plan to destroy 50km of the Alaskan pipeline, thereby doubling United States dependency on foreign oil and weakening an American grain embargo that has caused starving Russians to riot in the streets of Moscow. The Russians are discovered, but the bad weather prevents more than a' handful of United States soldiers, led bv Colonel Jake Caffey (David Soul), from blocking the Soviet attack by taking up positions in a valve station along the pipeline. Meanwhile, the President of the United States (Rock Hudson) begins negotiations with the Soviet Secretary (Brian Keith) at a secret meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland. Both men are anxious to preserve peace; they know any armed conflict betweem the two super-Powers could lead quickly to World War

111 and the destruction of the Earth.

But both men stand tough. The Secretary- refuses to recall. his soldiers until the President agrees. to lift the food embargo. The President, on the other hand, refuses to continue negotiations until the Premier withdraws his troops from American soil. At the Alaskan valve

station, the handful of American soldiers commences hand-to-hand combat with the fierce Soviet attackers. It is a small, personal war of attrition that will decide the fate of the world. If the Soviets take the station, the American Government will feel compelled to escalate the conflict.into a full-scale war. If the Ameri-

cans defend the station, world peace can be maintained.

The battle drags on. In the Crisis Room under the White House, the President and his generals prepare for the worst: they order a nuclear red alert. In the War Room at the Kremlin, the Soviets also prepare for nuclear war.