The US National Archive has released never-before-seen pictures of America's leadership reacting to the 9/11 attacks in real-time, the photos reveal the chaos that soaked the air that day.
In one photo, then-Vice President Dick Cheney rests his feet on his desk as he watches a live TV news report of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In another, he sits beside his wife after they were both frog-marched by Secret Service agents to a secure basement in the White House.
Video: Reuters
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The images capture the most intimate reactions of the nation's leadership to the attacks, which saw two hijacked passenger planes crash into the World Trade Center in New York, another jet strike the Pentagon and a fourth crash in Pennsylvania on the deadliest day in recent American history, September 11, 2001.
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Vice President Cheney watching the live feed from New York(Photo: Reuters)
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2,996 people were killed that day, and the fear and horror that many Americans experienced that day can be seen reflected on the faces of the leadership in these images, 14 years later.
The pictures were taken by a photographer from Cheney's staff, and were released to the public by the National Archive at the request of filmmaker Colette Neirouz Hanna.
On the day of the attacks Cheney, was in charge at the White House, as Bush was visiting a school in Sarasota, Florida at the time. The same evening, Cheney and his wife, Lynne, were flown via Marine Two to a secret destination, revealed in the photos to be Camp David, a location which holds specific importance for Israel as the location where the peace accord with Egypt was signed. Cheney and his wife were later flown to another secret location.
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Marine One lands at the White House (Photo: US National Archives)
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Cheney removes his glasses (Photo:US National Archives)
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Director of Central Intelligence Tenet watches Bush's address (Photo: US National Archives)
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Rice bites her lip while watching the events (Photo: US National Archive)
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Officials consult eachother in the President's bunker (Photo:Reuters)
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