Red Alert, authored by Peter Bryant, was first published in the United States in 1958 by Ace, New York. This gripping tale centers on a maverick American commander who descends into madness due to overwhelming stress and the Russian invasion of Hungary in 1956. Driven to deception, he misleads his men about critical orders and sends nuclear bombers en route to Moscow. The book serves as a compelling precursor to the satirical film Dr. Strangelove.