Disturbing at the time as this was 1965 or thereabouts. Herman Kahn had introduced the concept of the doomsday machine, and it was being discussed at the highest levels of government, so we were lead to believe later.
As the Soviets in the movie explained, the doomsday machine was devised to end the arms race. It would be so terrible that nobody would dare violate its perimeters. Today with all the fanatics running around hoping for the end of the world, this machine would be just what the doctor ordered.
