--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: attack. “One of the awkward questions we…" description: "\"“attack. “One of the awkward questions we faced was whether to reconstitute Congress after a nuclear attack,” a participant recalled years later. “It w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/garrett-m-graff-7343_quote_attack-one-of-the-awkward-questions-we-f_1218997.jpg" --- # attack. “One of the awkward questions we faced was whether… ![“attack. “One of the awkward questions we faced was whether to reconstitute Congress after a nuclear attack,” a participant recalled years later. “It was decided that no, it would be easier to operate without them.” quote by Garrett M. Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/garrett-m-graff-7343_quote_attack-one-of-the-awkward-questions-we-f_1218997.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/garrett-m-graff-7343_quote_attack-one-of-the-awkward-questions-we-f_1218997.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/garrett-m-graff-7343_quote_attack-one-of-the-awkward-questions-we-f_1218997.jpg) > ““attack. “One of the awkward questions we faced was whether to reconstitute Congress after a nuclear attack,” a participant recalled years later. “It was decided that no, it would be easier to operate without them.”” [Garrett M. Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-m-graff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In crisis planning, some consider eliminating legislative bodies to simplify response, exposing tension between democracy and efficiency. **In simple terms:** Consider removing Congress after a nuclear attack. Key Takeaway Weigh democratic values against emergency efficiency. Themes politics crisis management democracy efficiency security Mood serious concerned Type political ethical When to use this quote - national security planning - policy making - emergency drills - legislative reform Key Concepts governance risk assessment authoritarianism Questions to Reflect On - Should democracy be suspended in emergencies? - What safeguards prevent abuse? A Different Perspective Removing elected bodies risks authoritarian overreach. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attack/) [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Congress Nuclear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress-nuclear-3725665/) [Nuclear Attack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear-attack-1179545/) [Reconstitute Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reconstitute-congress-3725664/) ## Related quotes > [As a little kid in the late 1960s, I was afraid of the world. Even if I didn't get caught in the draft that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/as-a-little-kid-in-the-late-1960s-i-was-afraid-of-the-world-even-if-i/) [Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/) > [The United Nations passed so-called sanctions again on North Korea, and they've said they 'will exercise their preemptive right to a nuclear attack.' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/the-united-nations-passed-so-called-sanctions-again-on-north-korea/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [ \[With\] military threats, you can see them actually, you can imagine it. People don't think about it enough. But if you think about it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/with-military-threats-you-can-see-them-actually-you-can-imagine-it/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [As they were during the Cold War, urban population centers remain the most likely targets of a nuclear attack. Now, however, an attack may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cranston/as-they-were-during-the-cold-war-urban-population-centers-remain-the/) [Alan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cranston/) > [At 2:26 AM on 3 June 1980, Colonel William Odom of the Strategic Air Command alerted National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski that the US…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stansfield-turner/at-2-26-am-on-3-june-1980-colonel-william-odom-of-the-strategic-air/) [Stansfield Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stansfield-turner/) > [ Sooner or later there will be a nuclear 9/11 \[by Islamic terrorists\] in an American city or that of a US ally... A terrorist… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/sooner-or-later-there-will-be-a-nuclear-9-11-by-islamic-terrorists-in/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [If you ask which of the scenarios I think is most dangerous, though, I will give a different answer. In that form of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-casti/if-you-ask-which-of-the-scenarios-i-think-is-most-dangerous-though-i/) [John L. Casti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-casti/) > [“There were unofficial discussions at the time about what would have happened if, heaven forbid, that nuclear warhead had exploded on American soil. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sakyo-komatsu/there-were-unofficial-discussions-at-the-time-about-what-would-have/) [Sakyo Komatsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sakyo-komatsu/) > [This means that the only function of nuclear weapons, while they exist, is to deter a nuclear attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-rotblat/this-means-that-the-only-function-of-nuclear-weapons-while-they-exist/) [Joseph Rotblat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-rotblat/) > [As far as I know, the most conservative estimates of the number of Americans who would be killed in a major nuclear attack, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wald/as-far-as-i-know-the-most-conservative-estimates-of-the-number-of/) [George Wald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wald/) > [I think all of you know there is no adequate defense against massive nuclear attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wald/i-think-all-of-you-know-there-is-no-adequate-defense-against-massive/) [George Wald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wald/) > [“Throughout the Cold War such priorities reflected a command environment in which —it was regarded as overwhelmingly more important to assure a Go response…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-ellsberg/throughout-the-cold-war-such-priorities-reflected-a-command/) [Daniel Ellsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-ellsberg/) > [“Bioterrorism was every bit as dangerous as a nuclear attack or”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-akart/bioterrorism-was-every-bit-as-dangerous-as-a-nuclear-attack-or/) [Bobby Akart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-akart/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/) [Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/) ## More by Garrett M. Graff > [“Humphrey had even visited the CASPER facility on multiple occasions under the cover of darkness during vacations at the Greenbrier. In 1970, after his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-m-graff/humphrey-had-even-visited-the-casper-facility-on-multiple-occasions/) [Garrett M. Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-m-graff/) > [“In many ways, after many decades, many billions of dollars, and countless advances in technology, the federal government’s basic plan to escape a catastrophe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-m-graff/in-many-ways-after-many-decades-many-billions-of-dollars-and/) [Garrett M. Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-m-graff/) > [“Kennedy, who had campaigned strongly on the “Missile Gap” issue, soon discovered as president that the Soviet Union didn’t have the 500 missiles feared—it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-m-graff/kennedy-who-had-campaigned-strongly-on-the-missile-gap-issue-soon/) [Garrett M. Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-m-graff/) > [“Hundreds more staff could join the ship in an emergency. (One young Navy ROTC officer, Bob Woodward, who went on to be a prizewinning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-m-graff/hundreds-more-staff-could-join-the-ship-in-an-emergency-one-young/) [Garrett M. Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-m-graff/) > [“waned. Efforts to protect civilian life fell by the wayside and a fourth and final grim phase of nuclear reality settled over the United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-m-graff/waned-efforts-to-protect-civilian-life-fell-by-the-wayside-and-a/) [Garrett M. Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-m-graff/) > [“updates to the nation’s nuclear weapons policies represented just the third major shift in the Cold War; following Eisenhower’s “massive retaliation” and the “assured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-m-graff/updates-to-the-nation-s-nuclear-weapons-policies-represented-just-the/) [Garrett M. Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-m-graff/) > [“The president called upon the Marine emergency evacuation helicopter that the White House Military Office had stationed nearby in the event of a surprise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-m-graff/the-president-called-upon-the-marine-emergency-evacuation-helicopter/) [Garrett M. Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-m-graff/) > [“things went quickly awry. Thermonuclear bombs were still not well understood and the weapon, code-named CASTLE BRAVO, turned out to be three times more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-m-graff/things-went-quickly-awry-thermonuclear-bombs-were-still-not-well/) [Garrett M. Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-m-graff/) > [“inside forget they were hiding in an underground bunker. Under normal circumstances, personnel approaching the PEOC would arrive at its locked vault door, located…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-m-graff/inside-forget-they-were-hiding-in-an-underground-bunker-under-normal/) [Garrett M. Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-m-graff/) > [“literally rocketing into the sky at a seemingly impossible steep pitch as it activated for the first and only time in its history a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-m-graff/literally-rocketing-into-the-sky-at-a-seemingly-impossible-steep/) [Garrett M. Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-m-graff/) > [“The commission also confronted one of the strangest and most nettlesome phrases in COG operations—a seemingly unnecessary aside in the language guiding presidential succession…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-m-graff/the-commission-also-confronted-one-of-the-strangest-and-most/) [Garrett M. Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-m-graff/) > [“Court Clerk Harold Willey was dispatched by Warren to spend a fall weekend scouting Asheville for a possible relocation facility. “Because all large cities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-m-graff/court-clerk-harold-willey-was-dispatched-by-warren-to-spend-a-fall/) [Garrett M. Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-m-graff/) > [“The U.S. would have to “reinterpret” the Constitution to provide for preemptive searches and seizures when atomic terrorism was involved. Remarkably, over the decades…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-m-graff/the-u-s-would-have-to-reinterpret-the-constitution-to-provide-for/) [Garrett M. Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-m-graff/) > [“The crash program for building the “super” dwarfed even the Manhattan Project. The AEC nearly tripled in size, growing from a handful of sites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-m-graff/the-crash-program-for-building-the-super-dwarfed-even-the-manhattan/) [Garrett M. Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-m-graff/) > [“In an era where detailed maps and especially aerial surveillance were scarce, the government carefully maintained redundant map sources far from the capital: The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-m-graff/in-an-era-where-detailed-maps-and-especially-aerial-surveillance-were/) [Garrett M. Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-m-graff/) [Explore all 92 Garrett M. Graff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-m-graff/) ## More Attack quotes > [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/) [Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [When I hit bottom, I can attack the problem and get to where I want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/when-i-hit-bottom-i-can-attack-the-problem-and-get-to-where-i-want-to/) [Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/) > [It was both necessary and desirable for us to be so strong at sea that no Sea Power could attack us without risk, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-von-bulow/it-was-both-necessary-and-desirable-for-us-to-be-so-strong-at-sea/) [Bernhard von Bulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-von-bulow/) > [The best way to counter-attack a hater is to make it blatantly obvious that their attack has had no impact on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/the-best-way-to-counter-attack-a-hater-is-to-make-it-blatantly/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) > [President Obama has never summarized the Obama Doctrine with such clarity, but here is what it would look like: 'I will undertake any military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/president-obama-has-never-summarized-the-obama-doctrine-with-such/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Everything has got a place in my house. If something is moved I get a panic attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rylan-clark-neal/everything-has-got-a-place-in-my-house-if-something-is-moved-i-get-a/) [Rylan Clark-Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rylan-clark-neal/) > [I mean, it's not just the rappers, you know what i'm saying? People want to attack anybody that's a large figure, you know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-notorious-b-i-g/i-mean-it-s-not-just-the-rappers-you-know-what-i-m-saying-people-want/) [The Notorious B.I.G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-notorious-b-i-g/) > [Sometimes when you take a tough action against one side in the conflict, they see you as part of the conflict and they attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/sometimes-when-you-take-a-tough-action-against-one-side-in-the/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [“Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/hence-when-able-to-attack-we-must-seem-unable-when-using-our-forces/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Free speech has a very small constituency on the modern campus, particularly if the speaker under attack is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leo/free-speech-has-a-very-small-constituency-on-the-modern-campus/) [John Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leo/) > [Daniil is a player who will not give you many chances to attack. If I have enough power and choose the right moment, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrey-rublev/daniil-is-a-player-who-will-not-give-you-many-chances-to-attack-if-i/) [Andrey Rublev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrey-rublev/) > [Distributed ledgers are inherently harder to attack because instead of a single database, there are multiple shared copies of the same database, so a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-walport/distributed-ledgers-are-inherently-harder-to-attack-because-instead/) [Mark Walport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-walport/) > [Attack life. It's going to kill you anyways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/attack-life-it-s-going-to-kill-you-anyways/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For those of us in the political business, generally, it's been pretty much an unwritten but understood rule that family and children are out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/for-those-of-us-in-the-political-business-generally-it-s-been-pretty/) [Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/) [Browse all 1,074 Attack quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attack/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“attack. “One of the awkward questions we faced was whether to reconstitute Congress after a nuclear attack,” a participant recalled years later. “It was decided that no, it would be easier to operate without them.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Garrett M. 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