When Words Fall Short

 

When Words Fall Short

Ten years ago, a Chicago police officer I knew was convicted of felony perjury, obstruction of justice, and official misconduct. Following his conviction, his girlfriend told the Press, “It was all just a big misunderstanding.” It wasn’t, but often misunderstandings do occur – and  with serious consequences.

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” – George Bernard Shaw

The Battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775 ;  the  start of the American Revolutionary War.

Tensions between the American colonists and the British government had been escalating over issues like taxation without representation and colonial autonomy. With no  “Second Amendment “ rights in effect  so-to-speak, the British decided to impose gun control by confiscating the colonists’ firearms and ammunition in Concord, Massachusetts.

The miscommunication or misunderstanding occurred on the morning of April 19, 1775, when British troops marched toward Concord. At Lexington, a small group of colonists (early NRA types I suppose) decided that “this” was not going to happen and confronted the troops. The colonists, under the command of Captain John Parker, stood their ground and following the Rules of Engagement, they were to hold their fire unless taking fire first. Now, here, no one knows what really happened. It may have been a scene somewhat like the one from The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976).  Josey  (played by Clint Eastwood) is confronting a group of armed men, when he calls them out.

“Are you gonna pull those pistols or whistle Dixie?"

In any event someone shot first.

Some witnesses claimed that the first shot was fired by a British soldier, while others said it was one of the colonial militia. The misunderstanding surrounding who fired the first shot led to chaos. Eight colonists  were killed and several more wounded. But the fight was not over. This small exchange quickly escalated into a larger conflict as the British tried to advance toward Concord only to retreat to Boston with heavy casualties. The colonists were now  emboldened by their success in resisting British authority.

 

This ambiguous moment is often referred to as "The Shot Heard 'Round the World," because it marked the beginning of the American Revolution. The misinterpretation of orders and confusion about the first shot set off a series of events that led to the formation of an organized rebellion, eventually leading to the creation of the United States of America. While it's unclear exactly who fired first, the events sparked a war that changed the course of history.

 

"Zimmermann Telegram" during World War I.

The Zimmermann Telegram, sent by German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann in January 1917, was a secret diplomatic communication intended for Germany’s ambassador to Mexico. The message proposed that if Mexico joined the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire) and fought against the United States in World War I, Germany would help Mexico recover the territories it lost to the U.S. in the 1846-1848 Mexican American War—namely, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

Now, the  British, who had  intercepted and deciphered  the communications, saw  an opportunity to induce the U.S. to enter the war on the side of the Allies, so they shared the contents of the telegram with the American government. The  British, however,  made a point of emphasizing that  the message  indicated  Germany was actively trying to provoke Mexico into a war with the United States. In reality,  Germany really aimed to keep the United States too distracted to even join the war in Europe. When President Woodrow Wilson made the details of the telegram public, however, it pushed public opinion toward supporting entry into the European conflict. Three months later the U.S. declared war on Germany.

 

One final example of misunderstandings is the "Cuban Missile Crisis" in 1962. A key moment in the crisis involved a misunderstanding between the Soviet Union and the United States.( Most  readers will remember this crisis well.)

 

During the Cold War, tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union were extremely high. The Cuban Crisis began when the U.S. discovered Soviet nuclear missiles being placed in Cuba, just 90 miles off the coast of Florida and it marked an intense standoff between the two superpowers.

The misunderstanding occurred in the form of a second letter sent by Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev to U.S. President John F. Kennedy. Premier   Khrushchev ‘s first letter said that the Soviet Union would remove the missiles from Cuba if the U.S. publicly promised not to invade the island. However, there was a follow-up, a second letter arrived from Khrushchev, sent  urgently, and it was far more aggressive in tone. This second letter demanded the immediate removal of U.S. missiles in Turkey, not just the promise of non-invasion.

U.S. officials, including President Kennedy and his advisers, gave greater weight to the second letter, considering it to be  the Soviet’s final position. But Khrushchev's intentions had been misunderstood. Khrushchev’s second letter was meant as bluff intended to strengthen Soviet bargaining power, not a serious ultimatum. The US did not see it that way.

 

The situation grew extremely tense as both sides readied their nuclear weapons for potential conflict. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed. U.S. officials decided to focus on the more conciliatory first letter, agreeing to the terms of a deal with Khrushchev that involved the removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba in exchange for a U.S. no-invasion promise, and secretly agreeing to remove U.S. missiles from Turkey at a later date.

The misinterpretation of Khrushchev's letters was a key moment where a misunderstanding could have led to catastrophic consequences. In the end, misunderstanding nearly led to a disastrous war, but it was ultimately resolved diplomatically.

During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the United States raised its readiness to DEFCON 2, which is the second-highest level of alert. This meant that the U.S. military was prepared for possible nuclear war and was in a state of heightened alert.

The DEFCON  (Defense Readiness Condition) levels are as follows:

DEFCON 5: Normal peacetime readiness.

DEFCON 4: Increased intelligence gathering and heightened security measures.

DEFCON 3: Increased readiness, with certain forces prepared to deploy.

DEFCON 2: Next step to war; armed forces ready to deploy and engage in less than six hours.

DEFCON 1: Maximum readiness; immediate response to nuclear attack.

The Cuban Missile Crisis is often cited as the closest the world has ever come to nuclear war. And it was – or was it?

 At the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, the Doomsday Clock was set to 7 minutes to midnight.

 

Where is it now?

90 seconds to Midnight.

Sleep well.

 

Meme:

On Tuesday February 25, 2025, a Southwest Airlines jet attempting to land at Midway Airport nearly crashed with a business jet that had crossed into its path.

 The pilot of the private jet, owned by Flexjet, misunderstood an air traffic controller’s instructions. The crew of the Southwest flight had to initiate a "go-around" to avoid the jet, which was on the runway without authorization.