Earl Warren

Earl Warren was elected President of the United States in 1960 and 1964. He was in office when the Race's Colonization Fleet arrived at Earth. He ordered a secret attack using nuclear missiles fired from a submarine that destroyed a dozen of the Fleet's starships. Warren concealed his role in the affair for several years but the information was ultimately leaked to the Race by Sam Yeager through Straha--this despite Warren's best efforts to silence Yeager through draconian extralegal measures. Atvar threatened war with the United States; having seen how quickly and easily the Race had recently defeated Germany, Warren knew he must avoid a war at all costs. Atvar offered two other options: abandon all space exploration for the indefinite future, or allow the Race to destroy an American city. Warren would not give up the space program, a sign of his country's might and technological prowess, and so he surprised and disappointed Atvar by allowing him to destroy Indianapolis. Warren then committed suicide and was succeeded by his Vice President, Harold Stassen.