The Warfare of Genghis Khan
Encyclopedia
"The Warfare of Genghis Khan" is the 101st The West Wing
episode and 13th of the fifth season. It originally aired on NBC
February 1, 2004. Events circle around the detection of a nuclear detonation over the Indian Ocean. Written by Peter Noah
and directed by Bill D'Elia
, the episode contains guest appearances by Christopher Maher and Christina Chang
. It also introduces to the series Armin Mueller-Stahl
as Israeli Prime Minister Efraim 'Eli' Zahavy, and gives a first, short glimpse of Jay Mohr
as conservative talk-show host Taylor Reid.
, President Bartlet
calls upon his people to investigate which nation now has the atomic bomb — and since conventional thinking favors Iran
, Bartlet orders bombers into the air to destroy that nation's most likely enriched-uranium facilities. Once it becomes clear that Iran did not do the nuclear test after Israel is identified as the likely culprit by Vice-President Bob Russell
, President Bartlet has the Prime Minister of Israel fly to D.C. for a tense chat, but no further action is taken. This storyline also establishes the President's palpable disdain for the current CIA Director.
Meanwhile, Josh
chides NASA
personnel on the recent failures and embarrassments in their programs for space exploration — until he is introduced to an attractive female administrator (portrayed by Christina Chang
) who takes him stargazing and shows him the inspirational, rather than monetary, value of astronomy. C.J.
fumes when a combative conservative talk-show host, Taylor Reid, denigrates her on the air, and Will
discloses to Vice President Russell
that he is considered a buffoon by the White House staff. However, it is Russell whose unexpected intelligence came to light at a critical moment and kept the President from bombing Iran. In light of the international situation, Toby
wonders aloud why the West doesn't utilize the U.N.
in times like this.
, in which a flash was reportedly 'detected' by only a single satellite in the southern Indian Ocean
(although it was reportedly observable by another such satellite), with the initial suspicion being that it was the result of a South African nuclear test. However after multiple lengthy investigations with contradictory conclusions, no consensus was ever reached that an explosion had in fact occurred, and if there was one whether it was due to a nuclear device.
The West Wing (TV series)
The West Wing is an American television serial drama created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999 to May 14, 2006...
episode and 13th of the fifth season. It originally aired on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
February 1, 2004. Events circle around the detection of a nuclear detonation over the Indian Ocean. Written by Peter Noah
Peter Noah
Peter Noah is an American television writer and producer. He served as an executive producer and regular writer for the NBC drama The West Wing. Noah first became involved with the series as a consulting producer and regular writer for the fifth season and was promoted to supervising producer...
and directed by Bill D'Elia
Bill D'Elia
Bill D'Elia is an American television screenwriter, producer, and director. He was an executive producer of Boston Legal and Ally McBeal, and is the co-creator and a principal screenwriter for Judging Amy....
, the episode contains guest appearances by Christopher Maher and Christina Chang
Christina Chang
Christina Chang is a Taiwanese American actress.Chang was born in and raised in Taipei, Taiwan. Her father is Chinese Filipino and her mother is American...
. It also introduces to the series Armin Mueller-Stahl
Armin Mueller-Stahl
Armin Mueller-Stahl is a German film actor, painter, writer and musician.-Early life:Mueller-Stahl was born in Tilsit, East Prussia...
as Israeli Prime Minister Efraim 'Eli' Zahavy, and gives a first, short glimpse of Jay Mohr
Jay Mohr
Jay Mohr is an American actor and stand up comedian. He is known for his role as Professor Rick Payne in the TV series Ghost Whisperer, the title role in the CBS sitcom Gary Unmarried, which ran from 2008 to 2010, and the back-stabbing sports agent Bob Sugar in Jerry Maguire.-Early life:Mohr was...
as conservative talk-show host Taylor Reid.
Plot
When the flash of a secret nuclear detonation is detected over the Indian OceanIndian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
, President Bartlet
Josiah Bartlet
Josiah Edward "Jed" Bartlet is a fictional character played by Martin Sheen on the television serial drama The West Wing. He is President of the United States for the entire series until the last episode, when his successor is inaugurated...
calls upon his people to investigate which nation now has the atomic bomb — and since conventional thinking favors Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Bartlet orders bombers into the air to destroy that nation's most likely enriched-uranium facilities. Once it becomes clear that Iran did not do the nuclear test after Israel is identified as the likely culprit by Vice-President Bob Russell
Bob Russell (The West Wing)
Robert 'Bingo Bob' Russell is a fictional character played by Gary Cole on the television serial drama The West Wing.After the resignation of Vice President John Hoynes due to a sex scandal in May 2003, the Bartlet Administration was forced to replace him with another Democrat...
, President Bartlet has the Prime Minister of Israel fly to D.C. for a tense chat, but no further action is taken. This storyline also establishes the President's palpable disdain for the current CIA Director.
Meanwhile, Josh
Josh Lyman
Joshua "Josh" Lyman is a fictional character played by Bradley Whitford on the television drama The West Wing. For the majority of the series, he was White House Deputy Chief of Staff in the Josiah Bartlet administration...
chides NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
personnel on the recent failures and embarrassments in their programs for space exploration — until he is introduced to an attractive female administrator (portrayed by Christina Chang
Christina Chang
Christina Chang is a Taiwanese American actress.Chang was born in and raised in Taipei, Taiwan. Her father is Chinese Filipino and her mother is American...
) who takes him stargazing and shows him the inspirational, rather than monetary, value of astronomy. C.J.
C. J. Cregg
Claudia Jean "C. J." Cregg is a fictional character played by Allison Janney on the television serial drama The West Wing. From the beginning of the series until the sixth season, she is White House Press Secretary in the administration of President Josiah Bartlet...
fumes when a combative conservative talk-show host, Taylor Reid, denigrates her on the air, and Will
Will Bailey
William "Will" Bailey, is a fictional character played by Joshua Malina on the television serial drama The West Wing, holding various posts in the White House Office of Communications, Office of the Vice President and a backbencher Congressman .-Character biography:Will grew up in Belgium, as his...
discloses to Vice President Russell
Bob Russell (The West Wing)
Robert 'Bingo Bob' Russell is a fictional character played by Gary Cole on the television serial drama The West Wing.After the resignation of Vice President John Hoynes due to a sex scandal in May 2003, the Bartlet Administration was forced to replace him with another Democrat...
that he is considered a buffoon by the White House staff. However, it is Russell whose unexpected intelligence came to light at a critical moment and kept the President from bombing Iran. In light of the international situation, Toby
Toby Ziegler
Tobias Zachary 'Toby' Ziegler is played by Richard Schiff on the television serial drama The West Wing. For most of the series' duration he is White House Communications Director.-Creation and development:...
wonders aloud why the West doesn't utilize the U.N.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in times like this.
Social and cultural references
The nuclear test plotline is similar to the real-life 1979 Vela IncidentVela Incident
The Vela Incident was an unidentified "double flash" of light that was detected by an American Vela Hotel satellite on September 22, 1979....
, in which a flash was reportedly 'detected' by only a single satellite in the southern Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
(although it was reportedly observable by another such satellite), with the initial suspicion being that it was the result of a South African nuclear test. However after multiple lengthy investigations with contradictory conclusions, no consensus was ever reached that an explosion had in fact occurred, and if there was one whether it was due to a nuclear device.
External links
- The Warfare of Genghis Khan at NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
.com - The Warfare of Genghis Khan at The West Wing Episode Guide
- The Warfare of Genghis Khan at The West Wing Continuity Guide
- The Warfare of Genghis Khan recap at Television Without Pity
- The Warfare of Genghis Khan at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...
- The Warfare of Genghis Khan at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...