This two hour made-for-TV-movie was produced by the ABC Television Network and broadcast in 1983.

To put the time period in perspective, in the early 1980's Ronald Reagan had become President and he wasn't taking any shit from the Soviets. He referred to them as "An Evil Empire" (Here) and joked publicly during a radio show "mic check" that "I have just signed Legislation outlawing the Soviet Union, We begin bombing in five minutes."(Here)

The left-wing went absolutely nuts over Reagan dealing so forcefully with them and many feared the tough stance would result in actual nuclear war.

When ABC-TV made this movie, the special effects were not nearly what they have become nowadays. Frankly, the special effects wouldn't even make it into a "b" horror movie nowadays. But back then, it was horrifying to the general public.

In the first 32 minutes, you get to see regular Americans living regular lives, while TV news broadcasts report escalating tensions between the US/NATO and the Soviet Union.

Large numbers of Soviet Troops began massing on the border of East Germany. The next half hour sees the borders of the Soviet Union sealed, aircraft strikes by the Soviets upon western targets, and then-within hours (in the show) invasion troops cross into NATO terrirtory.

Tactical nukes had to be used to try to slow down the Soviets. They failed.

As a result of tactical nukes being used, NATO HQ in Brussels takes a Soviet Nuke hit, and within a few more minutes, the ICBM's are coming out of their silos. In movie time, the whole thing kicked off within 48 hours!

That's the takeaway you should pay attention to -- how fast it all escalated.

Because right now, the way things are going with Ukraine, NATO's meddling is taking us in precisely the same direction and when it goes, it's gonna go off FAST. People will be utterly blind-sided.

So watch and see the very real similarities between the movie version of events, and what is actually taking place right now.