In short, while leaders in Washington believed that the fighters above them had been instructed to take out hostile aircraft, the only orders actually conveyed to the pilots were to ID type and tail.
( ( In short ) ( , ( ( while ( ( leaders ( in Washington ) ) ( believed ( that ( ( ( the fighters ) ( above them ) ) ( had ( been ( instructed ( to ( ( take out ) ( hostile aircraft ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ( , ( ( the ( only orders ) ) ( actually ( ( conveyed ( to ( ( the pilots ) ( were ( to ( ID ( ( type and ) tail ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) ) ) ) ) ) )
(ROOT (S (PP (IN In) (ADJP (JJ short))) (, ,) (SBAR (IN while) (S (NP (NP (NNS leaders)) (PP (IN in) (NP (NNP Washington)))) (VP (VBD believed) (SBAR (IN that) (S (NP (NP (DT the) (NNS fighters)) (PP (IN above) (NP (PRP them)))) (VP (VBD had) (VP (VBN been) (VP (VBN instructed) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VB take) (PRT (RP out)) (NP (JJ hostile) (NN aircraft))))))))))))) (, ,) (NP (DT the) (JJ only) (NNS orders)) (ADVP (RB actually)) (VP (VBD conveyed) (SBAR (TO to) (S (NP (DT the) (NNS pilots)) (VP (VBD were) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VB ID) (NP (NN type) (CC and) (NN tail))))))))) (. .)))
Washington leaders misunderstood the orders that had been given to the fighter pilots.
( ( Washington leaders ) ( ( misunderstood ( ( the orders ) ( that ( had ( been ( given ( to ( the ( fighter pilots ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NNP Washington) (NNS leaders)) (VP (VBZ misunderstood) (NP (NP (DT the) (NNS orders)) (SBAR (WHNP (WDT that)) (S (VP (VBD had) (VP (VBN been) (VP (VBN given) (PP (TO to) (NP (DT the) (NN fighter) (NNS pilots)))))))))) (. .)))