FW: Assassination euphemisms

[Joel S. Berson]

Is it possible that the phrase "terminate with extreme prejudice."
was used first by the CIA (or some other nefarious organization), and
thereafter found its way (in whatever, probably not very crucial,
chronological order) into Congressional testimony, Vietnam War usage, and film?

That would resolve any illogicalities or disputed "cuteness".

Joel

At 7/14/2010 12:44 PM, Gerald Cohen wrote:
>The incident I related below occurred before any novels or films had been
>written about the Vietnam War. And because of the context, I never saw
>anything cute about the phrase "terminate with extreme prejudice."  I
>assumed at the time (rightly or wrongly) that it was used as a sort of code
>to confuse any enemy who might pick up the radio transmission while at the
>same time conveying a clear message to the American soldiers what to do with
>the captured Viet Cong.
>
>  The words "with extreme prejudice" might have been redundant, but they also
>helped make crystal clear what the fate of the Viet Cong prisoner was to be.
>
>Gerald Cohen
>
>*   *   *   *
>
>
>Message from Dan Goncharoff <thegonch at GMAIL.COM, Wed, 14 Jul 2010 11:51:57:
>
>Terminate with extreme prejudice was revealed in Congressional hearings
>around 1970 or 1971. The same may be true of neutralize -- I don't recall.
>
>DanG
>
>On Jul 14, 2010 11:27 AM, "Paul" <paulzjoh at mtnhome.com> wrote:
>
>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>-----------------------
>Sender: Americ...
>Poster:       Paul <paulzjoh at MTNHOME.COM>
>Subject:      Re: Assassination euphemisms
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>---
>
>  Somehow the phrase, "Terminate with extreme prejudice." just seems a
>little too cute to have been originated in the field.  I'd put money on
>it being picked up from, a novel or film.  When asked what to do with a
>prisoner why not reply "terminate him"  or did the 'extreme prejudice"
>mean  torture or a painful death?
>
>PAUL JOHNSON
>
>
>
>
>On 7/14/2010 9:11 AM, Cohen, Gerald Leonard wrote:
>
>I remember reading about an incident during the Vietnam War.  American
>soldiers were in a helicopter with a captured Viet Cong and radioed to
>the ground asking what to do with him.  The reply: "Terminate with =
>extreme prejudice."
>
>Gerald Cohen
> > ________________________________
> >
> > Message from Jerome Foster, Tue 7/13/2010 11...
>
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > <snip>
> >
> > --------------------------------------------------------...
>--
>
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