--- title: "The origin of the famous red phone in the Oval Office" description: "Where did the \"red phone\" that erroneously represents the instant connection between Washington D.C. and Moscow in pop culture come from?" date: "2022-06-26" modified: "2022-11-22" authors: - name: "Bethaney Phillips" job_title: "Contributor, Veteran Spouse" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/bethaneyphillips/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/the-origin-of-the-famous-red-phone-in-the-oval-office/" categories: - "Cold War" - "History" - "War History" --- # The origin of the famous red phone in the Oval Office ![Red rotary dial telephone with a circular dial plate and a handset resting on top, displayed against a dark background.]() In countless movies, in references across all mediums, the red phone exists. Brightly hued and highlighted through dramatic dialogue, we are shown this famous form of communication within the [White House](). But why is there a red phone in the first place? What does it do? And why it is so famous? After all, it’s just a phone. But, in actuality, it wasn’t a phone at all. Known as the Moscow-Washington Hotline, it was a direct line of communication between the White House and the Kremlin (where the Soviet Communist Headquarters resided). The line was established in 1963 after the Cuban Missile Crisis so that President John F. Kennedy, Russian leader Nikita Khrushchev and their advisors could connect directly and quickly. ![JFK red phone]() *"Khrushchev... your signal sucks... damn it, I lost him. That's not good." (DoD photo)* The need for the line was put into place after the 1962 crisis, when it took the United States 12 hours to translate a message from Khrushchev. The 3,000-word message is stated as taking a “dangerous amount of time” in translation. This prompted both sides to streamline communication. Hence, the hotline. The communication first consisted of teletype machines. In the '80s it was transitioned to a fax machine, and in 2008, it became an email line connected by a secure computer link with lightning-fast connection speeds. ![not a red phone]() *Well, that's not red... or a phone... (Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library/ Wikimedia Commons)* **Origins of the idea** There are several people who claim to have come up with the idea for direct communication, including a Harvard professor who had previously worked with the Department of Defense on nuclear war policies. The professor, Thomas Schelling, said the 1958 book *Red Alert* (which prompted the movie *Dr. Strangelove*) gave government officials the idea to connect directly-- specifically, by showing the benefits of fast and direct conversations. After the agreement was signed, both sides began working on the logistics to lay this line, including ways to keep it secure such as encryption. The first message was sent on August 30th, 1963, including numbers and an apostrophe to ensure the connection worked properly. The US sent: “The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog’s back 1234567890,” a common test message, as it includes all 26 letters of the English alphabet. The first official use was to announce the assassination of JFK to Russia. Over the years, the line has been accidentally cut multiple times, including when it was unknowingly bulldozed in Denmark. Today, there are bright and clear markers in Finland, as well as other countries, to help keep the line free from damage. **Why a red phone?** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T2uBeiNXAo *This scene seems to be where it all started* Because there was never an actual red phone -- or a phone at all for that matter -- it’s an interesting addition to pop culture. Countless movies, video games and even movies portray a fictional red phone as a quick way to reach Russia. So where did the idea come from? It likely came from the movie, *[Dr. Strangelove]()*, itself. The idea was then used throughout the 80s in political commercials, where it took off. President Ronald Reagan used the phone to market himself, showing off his Strategic Defense Initiative. In the 80s, it made another appearance for the 1984 election. It was also used in 2008 throughout Hilary Clinton’s campaign. In years since, it’s simply become a pop culture icon that remains recognizable in movies, museums and beyond. *Feature image: Jimmy Carter Library and Museum (Wikimedia Commons)* ## Author Bethaney Phillips has contributed to We Are the Mighty and MilSpouseFest since 2015, covering history and military family topics. She also served as the Interim Content and Digital Manager at MilSpouseFest in 2021. Now a veteran spouse, she spent six years in an active duty family and served as an SFRG leader. With a bachelor’s degree in English and Creative Writing, she has more than 15 years of experience in digital and print writing, focusing on researched pieces and human interest stories. She is also a regular contributor to Business Insider, covering family and parenting topics. Her work has been included on Business Insider, Yahoo, Military.com, and Manhattan Magazine. While continuing to freelance, she works as the founding editor of the Clay County Regional, a print and digital newspaper delivered to more than 5,500 recipients. She also serves as the Digital Director/News Director for Taylor Communications out of north-central Kansas. Bethaney spends her free time chasing her two elementary-aged boys, raising chickens, and reading fiction. ### Author social links [Twitter]() [WWW]()