The 1915 and 1937 phonetic alphabets used different words for several letters. In the earlier alphabet, 'Nuts' represented N. This suggests a possible additional meaning for McAuliffe's famous reply to a surrender demand during the Battle of the Bulge. The proposed connection depends on the assumption that a man of his generation would have known the older alphabet. It remains an interpretation of the reply, without evidence here establishing that this was his intention.
Notable Point · 38:24-40:08
Phonetic alphabets and a possible second meaning of 'Nuts'
Comparing historical alphabets suggests a possible link between the signal word for N and McAuliffe's 'Nuts' reply, while leaving his intention uncertain.