9/11: The Longest War (Full Episode) | SPECIAL | National Geographic

9/11: The Day That Changed Everything - A Detailed Summary

Key Concepts:

• Pre-9/11 Normalcy: The sense of security and routine life in America before the attacks.
• Hijacking Protocol Breakdown: Failures in communication and protocol between the FAA and NEADS.
• NEADS War Game: The military exercise "Vigilant Guardian" and its impact on the response.
• Primary Target Confusion: Misunderstanding of the term "primary target" between FAA and military.
• 9/11 Emergency Response: The overwhelming volume of 911 calls and the challenges faced by first responders.
• Information Chaos: Conflicting reports and the difficulty in understanding the unfolding events.
• Leadership in Crisis: Rudy Giuliani's role in calming and guiding New York City.
• Tora Bora Failure: The missed opportunity to capture Osama Bin Laden in Tora Bora.
• Afghan Alliances: The complexities of working with local warlords and the Northern Alliance.
• Iraq War Surge: The decision to increase troop levels in Iraq and its impact.
• Sadr City Wall: The construction of a concrete wall in Sadr City to stop rocket attacks.
• Private Security Contractors: The role and legal status of private security contractors in Iraq.
• IEDs: The devastating impact of improvised explosive devices.
• Afghan Opium Trade: The connection between the opium trade and the Taliban.
• Camp Leatherneck Sewage River: The unintended consequences of the US base's wastewater.
• Osama Bin Laden Raid: The details of the raid on Osama Bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad.
• Tribute in Light: The artistic response to 9/11 and its impact on New York City.

I. The Day Before: A World Unaware

• Normalcy and News: Jim Watkins, former WPIX news anchor, recalls the news stories of September 10th, 2001, focusing on weather (lightning strikes), local politics (mayoral race with Mark Green mentioning the "Twin Towers of my candidacy"), and trivial stories like Blockbuster phasing out VHS tapes.
• Millennial Panics: The Y2K scare is mentioned as an example of a past panic that proved unfounded, contributing to a sense of complacency. "It was sort of like a blissful kind of ignorance, almost, that we told ourselves that things like that just didn't happen."
• Lost Innocence: Watkins states that going to bed on September 10th was "really the last time I ever felt that way," referring to the pre-9/11 sense of security.

II. The Hijackings and Initial Response

• American 11: The hijacking of American Airlines Flight 11 is detailed, including the stabbing on board and the plane's turn towards New York. Ben Sliney at the FAA command center recognized this as "a radical departure from anything I was experienced with."
• NEADS and Vigilant Guardian: Colonel Bob Marr describes the "Vigilant Guardian" war game that was beginning on September 11th, a simulation designed for learning from mistakes.
• Communication Breakdown: Joseph Cooper, a Boston air traffic controller, struggles to communicate the hijacking to NEADS. The military asks for a "mode 3" transponder code, which the FAA doesn't have, leading to confusion. "Do you have a mode 3 on it?" "No, no. It's just a primary target only."
• Primary Target Misunderstanding: Colin Scoggins at Boston Center repeatedly tells NEADS that American 11 is a "primary target only," but the term has different meanings for the FAA and the military.
• Delayed Scramble: Despite the urgency, fighter jets from Otis Air Base are not immediately scrambled.

III. The Attacks Unfold

• First Impact: Jimmy Raftery of the Fire Department recalls taking calls for minor incidents when the first plane hit the North Tower. A documentary crew filming firefighters captured the moment.
• 911 Overload: Damon DiMarco describes the "tidal wave, a tsunami of phone calls" hitting the 911 switchboards.
• Conflicting Reports: The 911 calls included "wildly conflicting reports," making it difficult to understand what was happening.
• Live News Coverage: Joan Fleischer, an account executive at 1010 WINS, reports live from her rooftop, describing the "huge hole" in the World Trade Center.
• Personal Messages: Urgent messages left by people inside the towers underscore the gravity of the situation. Ken Van Auken leaves a message for his wife shortly before his death.
• Pentagon Attack: Sheila Moody recounts her experience being trapped in the Pentagon after the attack and being rescued by Christopher Braman.

IV. The Collapse of the Towers

• South Tower Collapse: David Handschuh, a photographer, describes witnessing the South Tower collapse and being buried under debris.
• United 93: The story of United Airlines Flight 93 is told, including the passengers' decision to fight back against the hijackers. Tom Burnett calls his wife Deena for the last time.
• North Tower Collapse: Fire Chief Richard Picciotto describes his efforts to evacuate the North Tower and his decision to abandon those trapped above. Pasquale Buzzelli, a Port Authority engineer, survives the collapse after being told to stay put initially.
• Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda: The narrator states that "Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda have carried out the most devastating act of terrorism in history."

V. Giuliani's Leadership in Crisis

• Calming the City: Mayor Rudy Giuliani's role in informing and calming the public is highlighted. "I want the people of New York to be an example to the rest of the country and the rest of the world that terrorism can't stop us."
• Controlling Outrage: Giuliani emphasizes the importance of not overreacting and avoiding group blame. "Nobody should blame any group of people."
• Personal Loss: Giuliani reveals that he received notification that Father Judge and Chief Gansey, close friends of his, had been killed.
• Barbara Olsen's Death: Giuliani is overcome with emotion when he learns of the death of Barbara Olsen, a close friend, during a press conference.

VI. The Hunt for Bin Laden: Tora Bora

• CIA-Led Attack: The CIA-led attack on the Taliban in Tora Bora is described, with Gary Berntsen leading the effort.
• Difficult Terrain: Dalton Fury describes the rugged terrain of Tora Bora and the challenges of fighting in the mountains.
• Bin Laden's Decoy: Bin Laden uses a decoy to mislead US forces, switching from satellite phones to human intelligence.
• Unmanned Bombers: The CIA uses unmanned aerial systems to surveil and bomb Al Qaeda positions.
• Local Warlords: The reliance on local warlords and the Northern Alliance is discussed, highlighting the complexities of the alliances.
• Request Denied: Berntsen requests 800 Army Rangers to secure the Pakistan border and prevent Bin Laden's escape, but the request is denied.
• White House Decision: The White House decides to rely on the Pakistani Frontier Force, which was deemed unreliable.
• Missed Opportunity: Stanley McChrystal acknowledges that the failure to deploy US Rangers at Tora Bora was a mistake.

VII. The Iraq War and the Surge

• Invasion of Iraq: The initial success of the invasion of Iraq is described, with General David Petraeus commanding the 101st Airborne Division.
• Looting and Chaos: Widespread looting breaks out in Baghdad after the fall of Saddam's regime.
• Insurgency: An insurgency led by Saddam Hussein loyalists emerges, creating a guerrilla war.
• Denial and Underestimation: H.R. McMaster notes that the US was in denial about the insurgency and didn't adapt quickly enough.
• The Surge: President Bush decides to send a surge of troops into Iraq despite opposition.
• Sadr City Wall: The construction of a concrete wall in Sadr City to stop rocket attacks on the Green Zone is detailed. Anthony Farina describes the dangerous work.
• Turning Point: The completion of the wall is seen as a turning point in the Iraq War.

VIII. Private Security Contractors in Iraq

• Dangerous Job: Lee McClelland, a private security contractor, describes the dangers of his job in Iraq.
• Rules of Engagement: Contractors follow specific rules of engagement, prioritizing speed and aggression.
• Legal Gray Area: Robert Young Pelton discusses the legal gray area surrounding private security contractors and their status as mercenaries.
• Blackwater Incident: Ben Thomas recounts the Blackwater incident in Najaf, where contractors defended a compound against attack.

IX. The Afghan Opium Trade and Camp Leatherneck

• Opium Funding: The Afghan opium trade is identified as a major source of funding for the Taliban.
• Hearts and Minds: Captain McCarthy and Colonel Faxon discuss the importance of winning hearts and minds by offering economic options to farmers.
• Sewage River: The unintended consequence of Camp Leatherneck's wastewater creating a fertile irrigation source for local farmers is revealed.
• Environmental Concerns: Plans to divert the wastewater due to environmental concerns threaten the relationship with the farmers.

X. The Raid on Osama Bin Laden

• Abbottabad Compound: A compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, is suspected of being Osama Bin Laden's hiding place.
• Black Hawk Crash: One of the Black Hawks crashes during the landing, jeopardizing the mission.
• Plan B: The SEALs adapt to the situation and proceed with the raid.
• Inside the Compound: The SEALs encounter and kill al-Kuwaiti, Abrar, and Bin Laden's son.
• Bin Laden's Death: The SEALs find Bin Laden in his bedroom and kill him.
• Geronimo: The SEALs report "Geronimo" to confirm Bin Laden's death.

XI. Remembering 9/11: The Tribute in Light

• Phantom Limb Sensation: Julian LaVerdiere describes the "phantom limb sensation" of looking at the New York City skyline without the Twin Towers.
• Artistic Response: LaVerdiere and Paul Myoda create the "Tribute in Light" as an artistic response to 9/11.
• Healing and Purpose: LaVerdiere states that the project was "purposeful" and provided a "cause" during a time of need.
• Looking Up: A rescue worker notes that the tribute was the first time they started "looking up" after months of looking down into the pit at Ground Zero.
• Unimaginable Reality: Jim Watkins reflects on the surreal nature of the 9/11 attacks, stating that "this was so off-the-charts, this was so unimaginable on September 10th."

Conclusion:

The video provides a detailed account of the events surrounding 9/11, from the sense of normalcy the day before to the aftermath and the hunt for Osama Bin Laden. It highlights the failures in communication and protocol that contributed to the initial chaos, the leadership of Rudy Giuliani in the face of crisis, and the complexities of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The video also explores the role of private security contractors, the challenges of working with local allies, and the unintended consequences of military actions. Ultimately, the video emphasizes the profound impact of 9/11 on American society and the world.