Ben Bova's "The Next Logical Step" (short story, virtual reality, free): Serious implications of the ability to realistically simulate war games

US military has built a great computer to simulate war games - with an immersive VR-based interface, & with ability to simulate actions of all sides of war very realistically & in great detail.

Then they run into a problem. All military men who've used the machine have either quit their job or have gone insane!

General LeRoy has an idea to fix the situation. He's called the "CIA man" for help...

Fact sheet.

First published: Analog Science Fact & Fiction, May 1962.
Rating: A.
Download full text from Project Gutenberg, or Manybooks. [via QuasarDragon]
Listed among the stories from John Campbell's Astounding/Analog.
Related: Stories of Ben Bova.