5 JUNE, 1967, THE PENTAGON, WASHINGTON The Syrians had been allowing border raids into Israel, and Israel had massed troops on its northern borders for a retaliatory raid. Brezhnev and Kosygin had repeatedly warned Syria, Egypt, and Jordan of the impending Israeli attack. The Arabs had been assembling a unified military force, but the Israelis had launched the first strike, an air attack which had destroyed the Arab air forces on the ground.

The Israeli attack, which President Johnson had been expecting for weeks, had taken place. Johnson had sent a message to the Soviet leadership at five o'clock. It was now eight o'clock in the morning, and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara was on the phone: "Mr. President, the hot line is up.' The Russians had replied.
The "hot line" had originally been designed to prevent nuclear war by allowing the emergency exchange of messages between the United States and the Soviet Union. Secretary of Defense McNamara instructed the Pentagon communications workers to send the message through to the White House, but they told him they couldn't. "With all the money we've spent on communications, there must be a way to send these messages to the Situation Room, and you better figure it out", McNamara threatened.
Chairman Kosygin agreed to wait until President Johnson would be able to be on hand.

10 JUNE, 1967 THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON A way had been found to patch the "hot line" through to the White House, and the Russians and Americans had worked out the terms of a cease fire. The Arabs, relying on Moscow for support, had rejected the proposed cease fire and demanded an Israeli withdrawal. Neither the Arabs nor the Soviet leaders knew that Israel had been armed for some time with nuclear weapons. They had not found out on their own and Johnson had not told them.
The Arab position on the battle field had by now deteriorated to the point where Israel held parts of Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. Despite United Nations' demands for a cease fire the Israeli's had continued their conquest of Syria's Golan Heights, which overlooked the north of Israel.
Kosygin was on the hot line. "The government of Israel has ignored all Security Council resolutions calling for a cease fire. Instead of obeying them Israel has used them as opportunities to improve their military position. In light of their actions, a very crucial moment has now arrived. If Israel continues to refuse to abide by the United Nations resolutions, it is possible that the Soviet Union may make an independent decision.
"We foresee the risk of a grave catastrophe. Unless Israel unconditionally halts military actions within the next few hours, the Soviet Union will take all necessary actions, including military, to insure Israel's obeyance of the United Nation's resolutions."
Johnson ordered the United States' Sixth Fleet to move to fifty miles off the coast of Syria. He sent a message to Kosygin:
"As we understand the situation United Nations' negotiator General Odd Bull is very close to completing a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Syria. We have been pressing Israel to make the ceasefire completely effective and have received assurances that this will be done."
Johnson then conveyed the Soviet's threat to the government of Israel. As the exchange of messages between Johnson and Kosygin continued throughout the morning, the situation became calmer. The Israelis completed their conquest of the Golan Heights, and by noon a cease fire was established.