 Based on his knowledge of the Soviet Union's targeting of North America, the Soviet submarine captain's report, the French radioman's report, and what he has seen of Europe, Thomas, along with most of the ship's officers, concludes that the United States has simply ceased to exist, and what remains of North America is uninhabitable.Many of the crew, though, wish to go home to the U.S. to see what happened.This would require them to expend most of their remaining fuel, rendering them unable to reach the Pacific to look for habitable land.