Solving the enigma: History of the cryptanalytic bombe

by Jennifer Wilcox

As the German military grew in the late 1920s, it began looking for a better way to secure its communications. It found the answer in a new cryptographic machine called “Enigma.” The Germans believe the encryption generated by the machine to be unbreakable. With a theoretical number of ciphering possibilities of 3 x 10114 their belief was not unjustified. However, they never reached that theoretical level of security. Nor did they count on the cryptanalytic abilities of their adversaries. This publication provides a history of this cryptanalytic bombe.

Genres: History

52 pages, Unknown Binding

First published August 7, 2012

Reviews

[Lewis Weinstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

An utterly fascinating history of the decrypting of the German Enigma machine. So far, I have read the sections before 1939, when brilliant Polish mathematicians solved the methods of German encryption and prepared the way for the work later done at Bletchley Park.

Marian Rejewski, the lead Polish mathematician, is about to become a character in my sequel to A FLOOD OF EVIL, to be followed soon thereafter by Hans-Thilo Schmidt, a German who provided the first crucial information about Enigma.

This is exciting. This is the fun of constructing a historical novel. These real people, Rejewski and Schmidt, will soon meet my fictional characters Anna and Berthold, in what I hope will be pulse-raising scenes of events critical to aspects of the Allied victory ... of which almost no one has ever heard.

Next on my reading list ... The Spy in Hitler's Inner Circle: Hans-Thilo Schmidt and the Allied Intelligence Network that Decoded Germany's Enigma ... Kindle Edition by Paul Paillole

[Roy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice, academic style history of the basic approach to defeating Enigma. Well-written, if a bit terse, and carefully researched and referenced. The basic text on the role of Polish, British, and American engineers and mathematicians. A great place to start on what really happened. Particularly valuable in providing insights about the hundreds of American and British women who acted as calculators and operators for the effort, and one of the best sources on the American projects that eventually led to the modern National Security Agency.

[Rayrumtum · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short history of Polish, British and U.S. efforts to decrypt Nazi communications. These efforts became the genesis of the modern computer. A must read for anyone interested in Sigint collection. Very short book.