From Shelby Foote's (who I think is long dead) The Civil War: A Narrative; Volume 1, Fort Sumter to Perryville:
Here is an example from the 19th century of defense secrets being leaked by civilians with such speed (thanks, I'm sure, to telegraphs) that they beat the author of said secret back to his own quarters. Although history shows that the Confederate army in question survived this little crisis, to do so it had to rush from its positions short much equipment and preparation to escape the most notoriously slow US General in history. i.e. careless comments by (ir)responsible officials almost caused the destruction of an entire army.
"It was at this point, aggravated further by a shortage of arms and powder, that the general [Johnston] was summoned to ride down to Richmond, two days before the inauguration, for a conference on the military situation... Unequivocally, he stated that his army must fall to a position further south before the roads were dry.
[skip paragraph about President Davis's internal thoughts]
Back at his hotel, it was Johnston's turn to be alarmed. He found the lobby buzzing with rumors that the Manassas intrenchments [sic] were about to be abandoned. The news had moved swiftly before him, though he had come directly from the conference: with the result that his reluctance to discuss military secrets with civilians, no matter how highly placed, was confirmed. No tactical maneuver was more difficult than a withdrawal from the presence of a superior enemy. Everything depended on secrecy; for to be caught in motion, strung out along the roads, was to invite destruction. Yet here in the lobby of a Richmond hotel, where every pillar might hide a spy, was a flurry of gossip predicting the very movement he was about to undertake. Next day, riding back to Manassas on the cars, his reluctance was reconfirmed and his anger heightened when a friend approached and asked if it was true that the Bull Run line was about to be abandoned. There could be no chance that the man had overheard the news by accident, for he was deaf. Nor did it improve the general's humor when he arrived hat afternon to find his headquarters already abuzz with talk of the impending evacuation.
Two things he determined to do in reaction: 1) to get his army out of there as quickly as he could - if possible, before McClellan had time to act on the leaked information- and 2) to confide no more in civilians, which as far as he was concerned included the Chief Executive...
In the modern era, leaked secrets can be literally broadcast across the entire world in a matter of hours. Depending on the leak, information could be transferred to a beligerrant within minutes.
Yet still, many (if not most) Americans don't think leaks to the press are a big deal and routine offenders go unpunished. One day, this leniency is really going to hurt us. Or rather, it's going to get some poor troops or agents somewhere killed and make the leaker feel guilty. (maybe)
1 comment:
Your analogy is apt. The rumors in Richmond were leaked by someone who should have known better, but were passed on by people who were not necessarily unpatriotic to the Confederate cause, but just wanted to appear knowledgeable. It likely never occurred to most that there could be reasons to keep it secret. Had any of them stopped to think of the consequences, some would have shut up, which would have at least slowed the progress of the rumors.
Our MSM (and some federal employees, apparently) are not simply anti-American. They are primarily narcissistic, believing that their desires trump other considerations. They don't keep secret because they believe it unnecessary, and warnings to the contrary only political posturing on the part of the administration. In this they reveal what they would do were they in Bush's shoes, perhaps.
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