Two Minutes Until Midnight (On the Cold War in 1953)

To-day it is two minutes until midnight.
A few years ago, it was three minutes until midnight.
And a year from now, only time will tell. But to-day,
To-day it is two minutes until midnight.
The Marshall Islands lie silent in the ocean.

To-day it is two minutes until midnight.

Here is the reason for that sort of time.
Two bombs put  together, one of fission and one of fusion.
One of them detonates, while the other expands.
One of them is the ignition, while the other is the acceleration.
Suddenly outside the coast, a bright light blinds the sky.

Here is the reason for that sort of time.

Here is the shell, the shell to contain hell.
It is quite aerodynamic, which helps with send off.
Open the shell, and it gets more technical. At the top is the primary, 

At the bottom the secondary. And all around it,

Is polystyrene foam to keep it stationary. Waves part, a thick air draws near.

The shell to contain hell.

Here is the primary, also called the fission bomb. 

It is called the primary, as that is where the end starts. 

When activated, explosive fires will engulf the plutonium core, 

The foam will turn to plasma and awaken the secondary. 

The air hits the beach, trees are blown away, the mushroom rises.

That is where the end starts.

Here is the secondary, and it consists of three parts. 

A fissile sparkplug, to react to the plasma. Fusion fuel, 

To shake it all together. And uranium tamper, 

To make the big fire. Here is the deadly cocktail, 

For that sort of time. The mushroom darkens the sky, here comes the fallout.

To-day it is two minutes until midnight.