--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Power’s message was purposely broadcast…" description: "\"“Power’s message was purposely broadcast in the clear—not encoded—to ensure that Soviets could eavesdrop and understand the stakes. His message was har..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/garrett-m-graff-7343_battle-cry_power-s-message-was-purposely-broadcast_1533883.jpg" --- # Power’s message was purposely broadcast in the clear—not… ![“Power’s message was purposely broadcast in the clear—not encoded—to ensure that Soviets could eavesdrop and understand the stakes. His message was hardly the rousing battle speech one might expect; in fact, it underscored how nervous everyone was up and down the chain of command. On this day, his…” quote by Garrett M. Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/garrett-m-graff-7343_battle-cry_power-s-message-was-purposely-broadcast_1533883.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/garrett-m-graff-7343_battle-cry_power-s-message-was-purposely-broadcast_1533883.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/garrett-m-graff-7343_battle-cry_power-s-message-was-purposely-broadcast_1533883.jpg) > ““Power’s message was purposely broadcast in the clear—not encoded—to ensure that Soviets could eavesdrop and understand the stakes. His message was hardly the rousing battle speech one might expect; in fact, it underscored how nervous everyone was up and down the chain of command. On this day, his concluding final line, rather than some Shakespearean battle cry, was, instead, a much more tepid, “If you are not sure of what you should do in any situation, and if time permits, get in touch with us here.” As”” [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. The message was openly broadcast so enemies could hear, showing nervous leadership and lack of confidence. **In simple terms:** Leaders sometimes reveal plans openly, exposing weakness. Key Takeaway Seek clarity and confidence before communicating. Themes leadership communication security Mood cautious analytical Type historical strategic When to use this quote - military briefings - corporate announcements - public statements Key Concepts transparency strategic vulnerability information warfare Questions to Reflect On - Why might a leader choose to be overt? - What are safer ways to convey critical info? A Different Perspective Over‑transparency can undermine authority. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Battle cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle-cry/) [Battle Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle-speech-5698457/) [Chain of command](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chain-of-command/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Eavesdrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eavesdrop-1515920/) [Eavesdrop Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eavesdrop-understand-5698459/) [Power Message](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-message-5387003/) [Soviets Eavesdrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviets-eavesdrop-5698458/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“when there’s a man making money off of nearly every prominent Girl Power message, something’s wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaclyn-friedman/when-there-s-a-man-making-money-off-of-nearly-every-prominent-girl/) [Jaclyn Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaclyn-friedman/) > [It is the Message that is POWERFUL & not the person delivering it. Without that message, the one conveying it would have nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mufti-ismail-menk/it-is-the-message-that-is-powerful-not-the-person-delivering-it/) [Mufti Ismail Menk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mufti-ismail-menk/) > [I don't believe the federal government should be snooping into American citizens' cell phones without a warrant issued by a federal judge. You cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-de-leon/i-don-t-believe-the-federal-government-should-be-snooping-into/) [Kevin de Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-de-leon/) > [“Everybody should eavesdrop once in a while. There's nothing like eavesdropping to show you that the world outside your head is different from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/everybody-should-eavesdrop-once-in-a-while-there-s-nothing-like/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [I think I'm very curious about other people. I like to sit and eavesdrop, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/i-think-i-m-very-curious-about-other-people-i-like-to-sit-and/) [Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/) > [You saved Dad's life. If anyone's got the right to eavesdrop on him, it's you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-saved-dad-s-life-if-anyone-s-got-the-right-to-eavesdrop-on-him-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes I eavesdrop on people. I could rationalize it - oh, this is good anthropological research for characters I'm writing - but it's basically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/sometimes-i-eavesdrop-on-people-i-could-rationalize-it-oh-this-is/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [“Hey,” Shayne said through the door. “You going to stay in there all night, because we’re getting tired of trying to eavesdrop from out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/hey-shayne-said-through-the-door-you-going-to-stay-in-there-all-night/) [Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/) > [It is the way to educate your eye and more. Stare, pry, listen, eavesdrop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-evans/it-is-the-way-to-educate-your-eye-and-more-stare-pry-listen-eavesdrop/) [Walker Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-evans/) > [It's the way to educate your eyes. Stare. Pry, listen eavesdrop. Die knowing something. You are not here long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-evans/it-s-the-way-to-educate-your-eyes-stare-pry-listen-eavesdrop-die/) [Walker Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-evans/) > [It is something I recognise in myself. I do eavesdrop. I do people-watch, a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-mcgregor/it-is-something-i-recognise-in-myself-i-do-eavesdrop-i-do-people/) [Jon McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-mcgregor/) > [That's the point, to get the people who wouldn't otherwise think to eavesdrop on a conversation that involves science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/that-s-the-point-to-get-the-people-who-wouldn-t-otherwise-think-to/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“The president and the vice president wanted the FBI to execute searches in secret, avoiding the strictures of the legal and constitutional standards set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-weiner/the-president-and-the-vice-president-wanted-the-fbi-to-execute/) [Tim Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-weiner/) > [If you could eavesdrop on everything said about you, you'd spend most of your time waiting for the subject to come up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/if-you-could-eavesdrop-on-everything-said-about-you-you-d-spend-most/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [I don't intentionally eavesdrop. I'm not looking for salacious gossip, I'm just looking for vocabulary items.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/i-don-t-intentionally-eavesdrop-i-m-not-looking-for-salacious-gossip/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) ## 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. 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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 Battle cry quotes > [I knew Jimmy Dean. He tested for 'Battle Cry'. Paul Newman tested for 'Battle Cry'. I did nine tests to finally get that role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-knew-jimmy-dean-he-tested-for-battle-cry-paul-newman-tested-for/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [Within this army his is more than battle - cry. It's the blood of our lifeline flowing faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hatebreed/within-this-army-his-is-more-than-battle-cry-it-s-the-blood-of-our/) [Hatebreed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hatebreed/) > [“As a battle cry against feudalism, the demand for democracy had a progressive character. As time went on, however, the metaphysics of natural law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/as-a-battle-cry-against-feudalism-the-demand-for-democracy-had-a/) [Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/) > [“But for them—as for anyone—survival isn’t enough. So what began as a last-ditch effort has become a battle cry for something greater. Being human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-bruder/but-for-them-as-for-anyone-survival-isn-t-enough-so-what-began-as-a/) [Jessica Bruder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-bruder/) > [If you love with violence and you hate with violence, there's nothing that can be questioned. People say, 'Oh, you'd better work through your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/if-you-love-with-violence-and-you-hate-with-violence-there-s-nothing/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [“Holy water cannot help you now A thousand armies couldn’t keep me out See, I’ve come to burn your kingdom down I’ve come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/holy-water-cannot-help-you-now-a-thousand-armies-couldn-t-keep-me-out/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [“Generation Y are everything you feared. They’re everything your worst nightmares conjured up. They’re lazy, apathetic, unoriginal, scared of innovation, scared of difference, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarra-manning/generation-y-are-everything-you-feared-they-re-everything-your-worst/) [Sarra Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarra-manning/) > [“Meralda opened her eyes. "I'm for a bath," she said. "Now, and Yvin be hanged." Shingvere crowed. "At last, our battle cry," he said.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-tuttle/meralda-opened-her-eyes-i-m-for-a-bath-she-said-now-and-yvin-be/) [Frank Tuttle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-tuttle/) > [My first book was rejected nine times. It turned out to be a best seller, Battle Cry? in 1953.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/my-first-book-was-rejected-nine-times-it-turned-out-to-be-a-best/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [I let out a battle cry. Sure, a lot of people might have mistaken it for a sudden yelp of unmanly fear, but trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/i-let-out-a-battle-cry-sure-a-lot-of-people-might-have-mistaken-it/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [Whenever humanity seems condemned to heaviness, I think I should fly like Perseus into a different space. I don’t mean escaping into dreams or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-calvino/whenever-humanity-seems-condemned-to-heaviness-i-think-i-should-fly/) [Italo Calvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-calvino/) > [“The intruder shifted his weight and pulled the knife back, aiming at Gabriel’s chest. The moonlight glinted off the sharp blade and Gabriel found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-fine/the-intruder-shifted-his-weight-and-pulled-the-knife-back-aiming-at/) [Chelsea Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-fine/) > [“I hope Marcus (giggle) is there. Maybe he can defeat the evil Cullens with his mighty battle cry, "I can see relationships!!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bergstein/i-hope-marcus-giggle-is-there-maybe-he-can-defeat-the-evil-cullens/) [Dan Bergstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bergstein/) > [Yelling a battle cry—more to motivate himself than frighten his foes—Lukel grabbed the table leg and swung it at a soldier. The wood bounced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/yelling-a-battle-cry-more-to-motivate-himself-than-frighten-his-foes/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Ser Rodrik shouted “Winterfell!” and rode to meet him, with Bronn and Chiggen beside him, screaming some wordless battle cry. Ser Willis Wode followed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/ser-rodrik-shouted-winterfell-and-rode-to-meet-him-with-bronn-and/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) [Browse all 73 Battle cry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle-cry/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Power’s message was purposely broadcast in the clear—not encoded—to ensure that Soviets could eavesdrop and understand the stakes. His message was hardly the rousing battle speech one might expect; in fact, it underscored how nervous everyone was up and down the chain of command. On this day, his concluding final line, rather than some Shakespearean battle cry, was, instead, a much more tepid, “If you are not sure of what you should do in any situation, and if time permits, get in touch with us here.” As”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Garrett M. 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