Battle of Wits The Complete Story of Codebreaking in World War II (Paperback)
| Author: Stephen Budiansky |
Product Details:
| In a rich and authoritative narrative, Budiansky chronicles the extraordinary efforts by scientists, mathematicians, and intelligence officers to break the Germans' Enigma Code during World War II. of photos. 5 maps. |
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From the Publisher:
A million pages of new World War II codebreaking records have been released by the U.S. Army and Navy and the British government over the last five years. Now, Battle of Wits presents the history of the war that these documents reveal. From the battle of Midway until the last German code was broken in January 1945, this is an astonishing epic of a war that was won not simply by brute strength but also by reading the enemy's intentions. The revelations of Stephen Budiansky's dramatic history include how Britain tried to manipulate the American codebreakers and monopolize German Enigma code communications; the first detailed published explanations of how the Japanese codes were broken; and how the American codebreaking machines worked to crack the Japanese, the German, and even the Russian diplomatic codes. The compelling narrative shows the crucial effect codebreaking had on the battlefields by explaining the urgency of stopping the wolf pack U-boat attacks in the North Atlantic, the importance of halting Rommel's tanks in North Africa, and the necessity of ensuring that the Germans believed the Allies' audacious deception and cover plans for D-Day. Unveiled for the first time, the complete story of codebreaking in World War II has now been told. |
Based on the most up-to-date information, this history of World War II codebreaking focuses on the prodigious efforts by the Allies to decipher the military and diplomatic communications of Germany and Japan. It provides an overview of British and American operations, including stories of the role played by individuals like Alan Turing and Ian Fleming, and reveals once-classified information about the tactical advantages gained when the Allies were successful in cracking the complex codes--thus saving many lives and bringing the war toward a successful conclusion.
Praise
"Familiar as many of these accomplishments are, they have seldom been presented so thoroughly and in such readable form...." - David Murray 10/22/2000















