(Updated: Oct 8, 2016)
In Oct 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis ended in addition to the world was saved from falling into a nuclear war. In society to preclude this gamble inwards the future, the USA in addition to the Sovjet Union established a direct communication draw betwixt their 2 capitals inwards August 1963. This Washington-Moscow Hotline became i of the most famous transcend flat communications systems inwards modern history.
In pop culture, the Washington-Moscow Hotline is oft called the Red Phone, in addition to hence many people think it's a telephone line, with a reddish telephone assail the president's desk. However, this is false: the Hotline was never a telephone line, but instead laid upwards every bit a teletype connection, which inwards 1988 was replaced past times facsimile units. Since 2008 the Hotline is a highly secure reckoner link over which messages are exchanged past times e-mail.
Contents
- Origins
- Installation
- The Hotline terminals
- 1963: Teletype equipment
- 1978: Satellite link
- 1988: Facsimile equipment
- 2008: E-mail communications
- Operation of the Hotline
- Usage of the Hotline
- Telephones
- Timeline
- Links in addition to Sources
Origins
Given the growing threat of a nuclear war, leaders inwards Washington in addition to Moscow realized already inwards 1954 that a direct draw of communications betwixt their 2 nations was needed to preclude such a disaster. The Soviets floated the see publicly for the initiative off fourth dimension that year, in addition to inwards 1958 the USA proposed that both nations accept component inwards the Conference of Experts on Surprise Attack inwards Geneva, Switzerland.
Also inwards 1958 the political economist in addition to nuclear strategist prof. Thomas Schelling proposed the see of a hotline betwixt both super powers. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 direct telephone draw also featured inwards the novel Red Alert past times Peter Bryant from the same year. Based upon this novel was Stanley Kubrick's 1964 celluloid Dr. Strangelove, both showing how a nuclear state of war breaks out because of bad communications.
What shaped people's imagination:
the American president (right), assisted past times the Russian ambassador,
calling his Soviet counterpart inwards the 1964 celluloid Dr. Strangelove
In 1960, Jess Gorkin, editor of the mag Parade, published an opened upwards missive of the alphabet inwards his mag to President Dwight D. Eisenhower in addition to the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, terminal with: Must a world hold out lost for desire of a telephone call? However, the state of war machine in addition to diplomats of the State Department didn't similar the see of the president talking behind their backs with the Russians in addition to reportedly objected the proposal of a direct line.
During the Cuban Missile Crisis inwards Oct 1962 it clearly came out that the existing ways of communicating betwixt Washington in addition to Moscow were also ho-hum for the events happening. It took Washington nearly 12 hours to have in addition to decode Khrushchev's 3,000 discussion initial short town message.
By the fourth dimension a reply had been written in addition to edited past times the White House, Moscow had sent another, tougher message. Under severe fourth dimension pressure, both leaders ultimately decided to communicate through the media. After the crisis was resolved, the hot draw proposal became an immediate priority.
After some negotiations, the USA in addition to the Sovjet Union signed an agreement well-nigh establising a Direct Communications Link on June 20, 1963 inwards Geneva. The official American quest the Hotline is Direct Communications Link (DCL), but US technicians oft telephone recall it MOLINK, beingness a state of war machine vogue abbreviation for "Moscow-link".
Installation
On July 13, 1963, solely a calendar month after signing the agreement, the USA sent 4 sets of teleprinters with Latin alphabet to Moscow for their terminal. This was done via US ambassador Averell Harriman's plane. Another calendar month later, on August 20, the Soviet equipment, 4 sets of teleprinters with Cyrillic alphabet, arrived inwards Washington. The null machines for encrypting the Hot Line messages came from Norway. According to the agreement, all these machines should hold out accompanied past times a i years render of spare parts in addition to all the necessary especial tools, bear witness equipment, operating instructions in addition to other technical literature.
Russian technicians preparing the equipment for the novel Hotline
in the Central Telegraph Bureau inwards Moscow.
In the foreground nosotros encounter the East German linguistic communication T-63 cyrillic teleprinter.
(Photo: TASS via AP, July 17, 1963)
News written report of the Russian teleprinters beingness installed at the Pentagon
Two unique color celluloid fragments of the Russian teleprinters arriving in addition to beingness installed at the Pentagon tin hold out seen here: Part 1 - Part 2
The novel Hotline became operational on August 30, 1963, past times transmitting the initiative off bear witness messages. Washington sent Moscow the text The quick chocolate-brown fox jumped over the lazy dog's dorsum 1234567890, which is a in addition to so called pangram of all letters in addition to numbers of the Latin alphabet. The Soviets sent dorsum a poetic description of Moscow's setting sun.
When the Hotline was established inwards 1963, it was a full-duplex teletype channel, which was routed trough telephone cables from Washington, over the undersea The Kingsway Tunnels, built during World War II:
This cable connectedness was for the political communications, but appeared non fully neglect safe: the cable was accidently cutting several times, for instance close Copenhagen past times a Danish bulldozer operator in addition to past times a Finnish farmer who plowed it upwards once.
Besides this wire draw link, in that location was a total duplex teletype radio circuit, routed from Washington via Tangier (Morocco) to Moscow. This was for service communications in addition to served every bit a back-up.
The Hotline terminals
In Moscow, the terminal of the Hotline was supposed to hold out inwards the Kremlin, somewhere side past times side to the business office of the prime number minister. However, Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev i time told a grouping of Moscow-based American journalists, that their terminal was on the opposite side of Red Square, inwards the Communist Party headquarters. The Russian terminal was manned past times civilians, the American i past times the military.
An East German linguistic communication T-63 teleprinter, used at the Moscow terminal of the Hotline
(Photo from an exhibition at the Russian Archives)
On the American side, in that location are Hotline terminals at these 4 locations:
- The National Military Command Center (NMCC) inwards the Pentagon
- The Alternate National Military Command Center (ANMCC) inwards the Raven Rock Mountain
- The state of war machine communications pump inwards the White House
- An unknown location inwards the State Department
Pentagon Terminal
The primary US terminal is at the National Military Command Center (NMCC) inwards the basement of the Pentagon. There, the Direct Communications Link is a articulation staff performance nether the command of the Joint Chiefs of Staff J-3 Operations Directorate. The NMCC is responsible for routine testing of the Hotline in addition to for the receipt, transmission in addition to translation of the messages past times highly qualified translators.
The terminal is manned past times 6 teams of 2 human each, working inwards 8-hour shifts in addition to led past times a commissioned officeholder acting every bit Presidential Translator (PT). For the routine shift operations, the Hotline personnel falls nether the command of the flag officeholder inwards accuse of the NMCC. But when a existent message from Moscow arrives, the doors of the terminal room are unopen in addition to locked in addition to the personnel becomes champaign of study straight to the president himself.
White House Terminal
When inwards June 1967 the Soviets sent their initiative off message, secretarial assistant of defence forcefulness Robert McNamara found out that the Hotline ended inwards the NMCC, instead of at the White House, every bit he had expected. McNamara ordered a quick patch from the Pentagon to the White House, which was later formalized past times installing an ancillary terminal inwards the state of war machine communications pump of the White House Communications Agency (WHCA) inwards the East Wing basement. From there, incoming messages from the Hot Line were sent to the Situation Room nether the West Wing, initiative off past times pneumatic underground in addition to later, after computers were installed inwards both rooms, past times information transmission.
The White House terminal also has the capability to ship in addition to have messages in addition to has additional privacy in addition to override features which volition allow it to "lock out" other Hotline terminals. The White House terminal is manned in addition to operated past times White House personnel of the WHCA. In 1988, the White House communications pump was connected to the Pentagon MOLINK business office with a facsimile link, 2 secure telephone lines in addition to an open, non-secure telephone line.*
Other US Terminals
Another Hotline terminal is located at the Alternate National Military Command Center (ANMCC), which is situated inwards the Raven Rock Mountain in addition to serves every bit a dorsum upwards facility for the Pentagon. This terminal has the capability to serve every bit an alternate pump for originating in addition to receiving messages. The ANMCC terminal is manned in addition to operated past times NMCC personnel, which is also responsible for the periodic testing of this terminal. According to a 2013 report, the Hotline also has a link to the State Department.
In a paragraph classified every bit Secret of the 1985 presidential directive well-nigh the performance of the Hot Line, which inwards the meanwhile has been declassified, it was said that at the sole discretion of the president, additional locations for access to the Hotline may hold out established. The existence of these sites should hold out classified every bit Secret.
The interior of an East German linguistic communication T-63 SU12 teletype printer
every bit photographed inwards the National Cryptologic Museum of the NSA.
At the left nosotros encounter a dark-green box containing the fundamental tape.
(Photo: Wikipedia - click for a bigger version)
Record communications
Contrary to the myth of a telephone line, the Washington-Moscow Hotline has ever been for tape communications. The see behind this is that a telephone link could increment the possibility of misunderstanding rather than eradicate it. In times of crisis, mistakes come upwards at a high price. Exchanging written messages gives both parties fourth dimension for reflection in addition to responding after deliberation. The telephone does non allow this latitude, but on the contrary compels a response of some sort, which tin number inwards a misguided reply or a misunderstood answer.
Another argue for the Hotline non beingness for telephone conversations was of technical nature: inwards the sixties it was hardly possible to realize vocalization encryption potent plenty for transcend flat communications. From the mid-seventies some improve techniques were developed, but these were hugger-mugger national algorithms, which of course of education couldn't hold out shared with the Soviets. Unclassified commercially available vocalization encryption was hardly secure.
1963: Teletype equipment
The master copy teletype equipment of the Washington-Moscow Hotline consisted of the next machines:
- Teleprinters with Latin alphabet: Model 28 ASR, made past times the Teletype Corp.
- Teleprinters with Cyrillic alphabet: T-63 SU12, made past times VEB Messgerätewerk Zwönitz inwards East Germany, based on the before Siemens T-37 teleprinter.
For the encryption of the messages, each of these teleprinters was connected to an ETCRRM II machine, which volition hold out discussed later on. We tin clearly encounter the equipment inwards this painting of the Hotline terminal room at the Pentagon:
The Washington-Moscow Hotline terminal room inwards the NMCC at the Pentagon, 1966.
At the left side, there's the Teletype Corp. Model 28 ASR teleprinter inwards the foreground,
2 dark ETCRRM II encryption machines inwards the middle, in addition to transcend left a T-63 SU12 teleprinter.
This organisation is mirrored at the right side of the room.
(Photo: June 1966)
As nosotros tin encounter past times comparison the previous painting with the side past times side one, the Hotline equipment inwards the Pentagon was rearranged, in addition to perhaps also replaced to some other room, after 1966. Maybe this happened inwards 1967, when defence forcefulness secretarial assistant McNamara ordered that the Hotline should hold out extended to the White House.
The Hotline terminal room inwards the NMCC at the Pentagon, 1976
With 2 Latin alphabet in addition to 2 cyrillic alphabet teletype machines (light coloured)
and 4 ETCRRM II null machines (black).
(Photo: UPI, July 9, 1976)
In 1980, the equipment was replaced past times newer teletype printers in addition to Siemens M-190 encryption machines, every bit tin hold out seen inwards the painting of the Hotline room from 1985:
The Hotline terminal room inwards the NMCC at the Pentagon, 1985
With the novel teletype in addition to encryption equipment, installed inwards 1980.
In the foreground nosotros encounter a Siemens M-190 null machine.
(Photo: AP, August 27, 1985)
Shortly after the previous painting was taken, facsimile units in addition to personal computers with printers were added to the Washington-Moscow Hotline. For a couplet of years they were tested in addition to used amongst the existing teletype equipment, every bit tin hold out seen inwards the picture:
The Washington-Moscow Hotline terminal room inwards the NMCC at the Pentagon, 1985
We encounter 4 personal reckoner terminals with printers for the coordination channel
Just similar the teleprinters, 2 of the computers had a Cyrillic keybord in addition to 2 a Latin keybord
In the foreground nosotros nonetheless encounter a teleprinter in addition to a Siemens M-190 null machine
(Photo: Time-Life/Scott Davis, Nov 14, 1985)
Teletype encryption
From the beginning, the confidentiality of the messages through the Washington-Moscow Hotline was assured past times encrypting them using the one-time tape method, which has been proved unbreakable if used correctly.
The ETCRRM II used the Vernam current cipher method, inwards which evidently text message is eXclusively OR'ed (XOR'ed) with a random current of information of the same length to generate the ciphertext. Once a message was enciphered the keytapes were destroyed. At the have end, the physical care for was reversed to decode the meassage, for which an identical keystream tape was needed.
In 1980 the ETCRRM II was replaced past times the German linguistic communication Siemens M-190 null machine, which also uses the Vernam regulation for one-time tape encryption. This device stayed inwards work until the teletype connectedness was terminated inwards 1988.
According to the agreements, each province prepared the keying tapes used to encode its messages in addition to delivered them, through a courier, at their diplomatic mission inwards the other country, from where they were brought to the counterpart's terminal. So, the keys used for encrypting the messages sent from Washington, were brought to the American diplomatic mission inwards Moscow, who delivered them to the Russian hotline terminal.
In the US, the fundamental tapes were provided past times the Office of Communications Security (now: Information Assurance Directorate) of the NSA. Just imagine the logistics needed for providing non solely the Pentagon in addition to the White House terminals, but also the American diplomatic mission inwards Moscow with these fundamental tapes every unmarried day!
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Siemens M-190 encryption machine
(Photo: CryptoMuseum.com)
1978: Satellite link
On September 30, 1971, the USA in addition to the Soviet Union signed an agreement inwards Washington to modernize the Hotline. The primary cable link was replaced past times 2 satellite circuits: the USA was to provide i circuit via the commercial Intelsat IV system, with satellites inwards a geosynchronous orbit. The Soviet Union would provide some other circuit via 4 satellites of their Molniya II scheme on a highly elliptical orbit.
This modernization programme started inwards 1971 and, after 4 years of testing, the satellite link in conclusion became operational on Jan 16, 1978. This link provided to a greater extent than flexible communications in addition to made the Hot Line less vulnerable than the master copy landline. The teletype circuit over the undersea in addition to Earth draw cable was retained every bit a backup to the satellite links, but the teletype radio circuit from Washington over Tangier to Moscow was terminated.
Maybe it's because the 1971 understanding says: "The 2 circuits shall hold out duplex telephone band-width circuits (...), equipped for secondary telegraphic multiplexing", that some sources erroneously say that inwards the seventies a telephone capability was added to the Hot Line.
Sign at the US hotline satellite footing station at Fort Detrick
(photo past times Tim Tyler)
Earth stations
Both inwards the USA in addition to inwards the Soviet Union satellite footing stations were equipped for the Hotline transmissions. For the signal of the Russian Molniya satellite, a novel footing station was built at Fort Detrick, Maryland. For the Intelsat link, the US used the commercial Intelsat footing station at Etam, West Virginia. Commercial circuits connect these footing stations to the Hotline terminal at the National Military Command Center inwards the Pentagon.
The Soviets originally intended to work an footing station inwards the suburbs of Moscow for the Intelsat link in addition to a Molniya station at Vladimir. However, because of severe wintertime conditions conditions inwards the Soviet Union, the Russians constructed a minute Intelsat footing station, some 50 miles from L'vov, to ensure increased dependability.* Since 1991 L'vov is inwards Ukraine, in addition to so it's probable the Russians moved their Intelsat footing station to some other location.
Detrick world Station
The US footing station at Fort Detrick was built past times the Radiation Division of the Harris Corporation, in addition to became operational inwards the Spring of 1974. Harris operated in addition to maintained the station in addition to its equipment through 1977. Since 1981 Honeywell Technology Solutions Inc (HTSI) provides 24/7 Russian linguist back upwards in addition to technical back upwards for the performance of the Detrick world Station (DES), ensuring that the availability is maintained at greater than 99.97 percent. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 renewed five-year $8.4 meg contract with Honeywell ends inwards February.
The US footing station at Fort Detrick, Maryland
with the 1974 dishes for the Russian satellites.
(Photo: www.bfec.us)
The Detrick footing station was modernized past times the Satellite Communications Systems of the US Army inwards 2007. Outdated equipment was replaced past times state-of-the-art systems in addition to novel 15-meter satellite dishes were installed. Now the station has a multi-carrier, multi-satellite capability, instead of the previous point-to-point, single-satellite, single-carrier system.
The twin satellite dishes are beingness kept operational past times a staff of sixteen civilian Army employees: viii technicians in addition to viii linguists. They piece of work around the clock to ensure the scheme is operating correctly. The station supports non solely the Hotline, but also a number of other critical Government-to-Government Communications Links (GGCL) betwixt the USA in addition to Russia.
The modernized US footing station at Fort Detrick
with the 2007 dishes for the Russian satellite link
(Photo: www.bfec.us)
1988: Facsimile equipment
In May 1983, president Reagan proposed to upgrade the Hotline past times the add-on of high-speed facsimile capability. This was followed past times bilateral negotiations, leading to an agreement signed past times the United Stated in addition to the Soviet Union on July 17, 1984. This understanding was afterward updated past times an central of diplomatic notes inwards Washington, on June 24, 1988.
According to the agreement, at each halt of the Hotline facsimile terminals of the same brand in addition to model were installed. It was specified that (digital) Group III facsimile units had to hold out used, operating at 4800 bits per second. Faxes similar this accept betwixt 6 in addition to xv seconds to transmit a unmarried page, which was much faster than the 66 words per infinitesimal capability of the existing teletype connection.
All facsimile equipment was provided past times the United States, every bit good every bit the IBM personal computers used for the secure orderwire channel to allow coordination betwixt the distant ends. These reckoner had touchstone USSR Cyrillic in addition to USA Latin keyboards in addition to "cathode ray underground displays to permit telegraphic central of information betwixt operators". Printers had to provide tape copies of all information exchanged on the orderwire channel.
The installation of the novel facsimile in addition to reckoner equipment was completed inwards the summertime of 1985. It was tested in addition to used amongst the existing teletype connectedness for several years, in addition to after it had proved to hold out reliable enough, the teletype circuits were turned off inwards 1988.
The Hotline terminal room inwards the NMCC at the Pentagon, 1985
Two of the IBM personal computers, each with an Epson FX-80 dot matrix printer side past times side to it
The units on transcend of the reckoner desks are Panafax PX-100 facsimile machines
(Photo: Time-Life/Scott Davis, Nov 14, 1985)
Now, non solely evidently texts could hold out sent, but also maps, charts in addition to photographs. The fax units also made it possible to ship handwritten messages, similar the 13-page handwritten missive of the alphabet which Soviet leader Gorbachev sent to president Reagan using the Hotline inwards 1986.*
As component of the facsimile upgrade, the Soviets transferred the Hotline transmissions over to a newer, geosynchronous satellite of the Gorizont-class, which was component of their Statsionar system. This eliminated the US footing station at Fort Detrick from having to manus off the transmissions every 4 hours betwixt the 4 Molniya satellites.* In 1996, a novel Molniya-3 satellite took over the Russian satellite link for the Hotline.
Facsimile encryption
Based upon the 1984 agreement, it seems that the digital information from both the facsimile units in addition to the personal computers were digitally encrypted using the Vernam current cipher, the same method every bit was previously used for the teletype transmissions.
This encryption was done past times "information safety devices", which consisted of microprocessors located inwards computers with floppy disk drives. These combined the digital facsimile output with buffered random data, which was read from touchstone 5.25 inch floppy disks. It's non clear whether this encryption was done past times the IBM computers of the coordination channel, or past times dissever ones.
The understanding said that the USA had to provide a specification describing the fundamental information format in addition to necessary keying cloth on a floppy disk for both parties, until the Soviets had developed this capability every bit well. Also, the necessary safety devices, every bit good every bit spare parts for the equipment had to hold out provided past times the American side, inwards homecoming for payment of costs thereof past times the Soviets.
2008: E-mail communications
It's non clear for how long the presidential Hotline kept using facsimile machines. For example, the communication links of the Nuclear Risk Reduction Centers (NRRC) were modernized inwards 1995, past times replacing the facsimile capability with a scanned files transfer (an impression of how this NRRC communication link industrial plant volition hold out given later).
In 2007 the Direct Communications Link got a 5th upgrade. As nosotros saw earlier, the US footing station at Fort Detrick was modernized in addition to also the link itself was upgraded to a dedicated reckoner network linking the Washington in addition to Moscow terminals. This network runs over redundant circuits of 2 existing satellite links in addition to a novel fiber-optic cable, which replaced the one-time back-up cable link.
This reckoner link uses commercial software for both chat in addition to e-mail. The chat role is used past times the operators for coordination of link operations, spell email is used for sending the actual messages. Transmission fourth dimension is literally close instantaneous. These capabilities became operational on Jan 1, 2008.*
The Washington-Moscow Hotline terminal room at the Pentagon, 2013
Presidential communicator Navy Chief Petty Officer John E. Kelley (seated) and
senior presidential translator Lt. Col. Charles Cox human the hotline terminal
(photo: www.army.mil)
Operation of the Hotline
The Washington-Moscow Hotline scheme is used for iii types of messages:
- Test Messages: consisting of apolitical, non-propagandistic texts, commonly poems, brusque stories or other writings dealing with nature, classical music, fine art or literature. These are transmitted daily: every fifty-fifty hr from Washington in addition to every odd hr from Moscow.
- Service Messages: coordinating the performance of the Hotline, well-nigh software in addition to hardware issues in addition to also containing a summary of the daily work of the system. These are belike formatted past times in addition to so called Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Governmental Messages: the messages ship on behalf of the presidents of Russian Federation in addition to the United States.
From Washington all messages are sent inwards English, using the Latin alphabet, from Moscow inwards Russian, using the cyrillic alphabet. Translation is done past times the receiving political party inwards society to preserve the nuance of each language.
Air Force Sgt. John Bretoski (left) in addition to Army Lt. Col. Charles Fitzgerald (right)
during a bear witness run of i of the cyrillic teleprinters at the Pentagon terminal of the Hotline
At the left nosotros encounter a dark ETCRRM II encryption machine
(Photo: AP, betwixt 1963 in addition to 1967)
The US terminals are manned past times a squad of state of war machine personnel, headed past times a commissioned officeholder functioning every bit the Presidential Translator on duty. His primary project is to homecoming into English linguistic communication all messages received through the Hot Line. When a message comes in, he makes a initiative off sight translation to determine if it's in addition to so urgent that the president should hold out called on a secure draw to give him an immediate oral translation.
If the Russian message is a chip less urgent, the Presidential Translator makes a crude oil written translation in addition to sends that to the White House via a secure fax, but later a secure network channel. Later on, a final official translation of the message is made inwards cooperation with State Department translators.
James O'Beirne (left) in addition to Benjamin W. Randal (right) using i of the personal computers
for sending a bear witness message at the Pentagon Hotline terminal.
(Photo: Time-Life/Scott Davis, Nov 14, 1985)
The 1985 presidential directive well-nigh the performance of the Direct Communications Link ordered 2 man-rule procedures to hold out established at all operating locations, to ensure against inadvertent liberate of the messages. Hotline messages may solely hold out released with explicit blessing of the president, in addition to fifty-fifty releasing information well-nigh the sole fact whether this link has been used is a presidential prerogative.
Usage of the Hotline
The Washington-Moscow Hotline was mainly used to inform the other political party well-nigh abrupt movements of their fleet or troops, to preclude that the other could encounter that every bit a provocation or training of agression. Reportedly, the Hotline was initiative off used past times the Americans on the twenty-four hours of the assassination of president Kennedy, Nov 22, 1963, solely a few months after the link was established.
The initiative off fourth dimension the Kremlin used the Hotline, was on June 5, 1967, when the Six-Day War broke out betwixt State of Israel in addition to some Arab countries. On that twenty-four hours Soviet prime number government minister Kosygin sent the next message, which was received inwards Washington at 7:59 AM:
The initiative off message which the Soviets sent through the Hot Line, June 5, 1967
Left: message inwards Russian - right: translation inwards English
(Click for a bigger version)
This initiative off message was followed past times nineteen other transmissions during the Six-Day War of 1967, by in addition to large to inform each other of the intentions in addition to maneuvers of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet in addition to the US sixth Fleet, which approached each other dangerously closely inwards the Mediterranean. Three of the messages were related to the incident with the American spy ship USS Liberty.
Later, the Hotline was also used during the next international conflicts:
- 1971: the state of war betwixt Republic of Republic of India in addition to Pakistan
- 1973: the Yom Kippur war
- 1974: the Turkish invasion of Cyprus
- 1979: the Russian invasion inwards Afghanistan
- 1981: the threat of a Russian invasion inwards Poland
- 1982: the Israeli invasion of Lebanon
In at to the lowest degree 2 cases, the Hotline was also used inwards non-crisis situations. President Johnson i time ordered a message to hold out sent to the Soviet Union informing it of the American Apollo spaceship missions, in addition to president Jimmy Carter used the Hotline for a to a greater extent than personal message to Sovjet leader Leonid Brezhnev, but the Russians didn't appreciate that in addition to saw it every bit an improper work of the Direct Communications Link.
It is
The Washington-Moscow Hotline is oft called the Red Phone, because many people think it's a telephone draw with a reddish handset on each side. As nosotros remove hold seen this was never the instance - fifty-fifty though Wikipedia articles inwards almost every linguistic communication say in addition to so upwards to this day.
Also president Obama used the pop myth of the reddish phone, when at a articulation press conference inwards June 2010, he joked well-nigh how social media mightiness assist to displace past times the traditional Cold War communications. Speaking of the Russian president Medvedev starting a Twitter account, Obama said: "I remove hold one, every bit well, in addition to so nosotros may hold out able to in conclusion throw away those reddish phones that remove hold been sitting around for in addition to so long".
The paradigm of the reddish telephone is derived from many books in addition to movies, inwards which world leaders telephone recall each other with a reddish telephone to hash out a crisis, for instance the 1964 motion painting Fail Safe, which was also based on the 1958 novel Red Alert. Because solely rattling few people knew how the actual Hotline worked, also many US regime officials assumed the direct communications link was a telephone line.
This confusion is belike also caused past times the fact that the White House in addition to the state of war machine did work reddish phones, non for international, but for internal communications. Quick in addition to slowly contact betwixt the president in addition to the state of war machine command centers is of course of education merely every bit of import every bit contact with the Kremlin, in addition to this is achieved through a secure state of war machine telephone network, called the Defense Red Switch Network (DRSN). For this network, a number of dissimilar handsets remove hold been used, including a reddish i without a dial inwards the early on years.* These existent reddish phones volition hold out discussed on this weblog later.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 to a greater extent than right painting of a reddish telephone used for internal crisis communications was also seen inwards pop culture, similar inwards the 1966 Batman television set serial (showing the Batphone) in addition to the James Bond films, inwards which the caput of MI6 uses a reddish telephone to communicate with the prime number government minister in addition to state of war machine officials.
Timeline
1963: Establishment of a Earth draw teletype link betwixt the Kremlin in addition to the Pentagon
1967: Ancillary terminal installed at the White House.
1978: The Earth draw replaced past times a satellite link.
1980: Old teletype in addition to encryption machines replaced past times newer ones.
1988: Teletype equipment replaced past times facsimile units.
199?: Further modernizations
2008: E-mail capability established
See also:
- August 30, 2013: The reddish telephone that was NOT on the Hotline
- August 28, 2013: The 50th anniversary of the Washington-Moscow Hotline
Links in addition to Sources
Websites
- CNN.com: 'I made Obama's BlackBerry'
- 2013 US Army article: Hotline, at i time 50 years old, continues to promote dialog with Russians
- 2013 Smithsonian article: There Never Was Such a Thing every bit a Red Phone inwards the White House
- 2013 Crypto Museum article: Washington-Moscow Hotline
- 2012 Wikipedia article inwards Dutch: Hotline Washington-Moskou
- 2011 article past times the Voice of Russia: Hello, Mr. President!
- 2011 Matt's Today inwards History blog: Washington-Moscow Hotline Established, June 20, 1963
- 2008 article past times Jerry Proc: The Washington-Moscow Hot Line
- 1988 New York Times article: Moscow's Still Holding
- 1963 New York Times article: 'Hot Line' Opened past times U.S. in addition to Soviet to Cut Attack Risk
- The master copy Hot Line Agreement Texts of 1963, 1971 in addition to 1984
Documents (PDF)
- NSA, Cryptolog, Dec 1983: DCL, The Direct Communications Link (DCL), p. 21-27
- National Security Decision Directive nr. 186: Installation in addition to Operation of the Direct Communications Link (DCL)/"Hotline" betwixt Washington in addition to Moscow, White House, 1985
- Jane Cunnion, Lycoming's Moscow Link, in: Lycoming Quarterly, Dec 1988, p. 2-3 (pdf page 12-13)
- Stephen L. Thacher, Crisis Communications betwixt Superpowers, US Army War College, Carusle Barracks, 1990
- Stephen Soudakoff, Developing 3+/4 reading in addition to translating skills for presidential needs: a summary, Distinguished Language Centers, 2002
- Haraldur Þór Egilsson, The Origins, Use in addition to Development of Hot Line Diplomacy, Institute Clingendael, 2003
- Tobias Nanz, Communication inwards Crisis. The "Red Phone" in addition to the "Hotline", Behemoth, Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Journal on Civilisation, Issue Nr. 2, 2010
Literature
- Michael K. Bohn, Nerve Center. Inside the White House Situation Room, Brassey's Inc, Washington DC, 2003, p. 89-96.
- Paul E. Richardson, The hot draw (is a Hollywood myth), in: Russian Life, September/October number 2009, p. 50-59.
- Leland McCaslin, Secrets of the Cold War: US Army Europe's Intelligence in addition to Counterintelligence Activities Against the Soviets, Helion, Solihull 2010, p. 111-114.
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