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War of Shadows: Codebreakers, Spies, and the Secret Struggle to Drive the Nazis from the Middle East
An award-winning journalist and historian tells the story of the Nazis' brutal march into Egypt, which seemed bound for Israel--until the Allies discovered the one American man who unwittingly made it all happen.
When the Nazis broke the Black Code, used by American diplomatic missions around the world, they were able to get detailed portrayals of British positions and weaknesses in North Africa, sometimes just a few hours after they were written. Using this information, under Rommel's command, they marched swiftly and terrifyingly toward Alexandria, with the ultimate goal of reaching the Middle East.
But Allied forces had broken the Nazis' code, Enigma, as well. They soon discovered they were leaking information, and set off on a fevered and high-stakes search for the source.
War of Shadows is the cinematic story of the race for information in North African theater of World War II, and the battle of cryptographers on both sides of it. Years in the making, this book is a feat of historical research and storytelling, and a rethinking of the popular narrative of the war. It portrays the war not as an inevitable clash of heroes and villains but a spiraling series of failures and accidents-one that spread into Africa and nearly beyond.
When the Nazis broke the Black Code, used by American diplomatic missions around the world, they were able to get detailed portrayals of British positions and weaknesses in North Africa, sometimes just a few hours after they were written. Using this information, under Rommel's command, they marched swiftly and terrifyingly toward Alexandria, with the ultimate goal of reaching the Middle East.
But Allied forces had broken the Nazis' code, Enigma, as well. They soon discovered they were leaking information, and set off on a fevered and high-stakes search for the source.
War of Shadows is the cinematic story of the race for information in North African theater of World War II, and the battle of cryptographers on both sides of it. Years in the making, this book is a feat of historical research and storytelling, and a rethinking of the popular narrative of the war. It portrays the war not as an inevitable clash of heroes and villains but a spiraling series of failures and accidents-one that spread into Africa and nearly beyond.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published January 19, 2021
95 people are currently reading
2412 people want to read
About the author
Gershom Gorenberg
10 books58 followersGershom Gorenberg is a historian and journalist who has been covering Middle Eastern affairs for over 35 years.
His latest book, War of Shadows, began with a conversation in Jerusalem that set off years of searching through archives for long-secret documents, though attics for lost papers, through streets in Cairo, Rome, London - endless days and nights of seeing facts unravel and new ones take shape in place of them, of following one lead to another to find someone who remembered the mysterious woman at Bletchley Park who discovered Rommel's source in British headquarters in Cairo - an obsessive hunt that led to the real story of how the Nazis came within an inch of conquering the Middle East.
Gorenberg was previously the author of three critically acclaimed books - The Unmaking of Israel, The Accidental Empire, and The End of Days – and coauthor of Shalom, Friend: The Life and Legacy of Yitzhak Rabin, winner of the National Jewish Book Award.
Gershom is a columnist for The Washington Post and a senior correspondent for The American Prospect. He has written for The Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times Magazine, the New York Review of Books, The New Republic, and in Hebrew for Haaretz. He will return to the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism in 2021 to teach the workshop he created on writing history.
He lives in Jerusalem with his wife, journalist Myra Noveck. They have three children – Yehonatan, Yasmin and Shir-Raz.
His latest book, War of Shadows, began with a conversation in Jerusalem that set off years of searching through archives for long-secret documents, though attics for lost papers, through streets in Cairo, Rome, London - endless days and nights of seeing facts unravel and new ones take shape in place of them, of following one lead to another to find someone who remembered the mysterious woman at Bletchley Park who discovered Rommel's source in British headquarters in Cairo - an obsessive hunt that led to the real story of how the Nazis came within an inch of conquering the Middle East.
Gorenberg was previously the author of three critically acclaimed books - The Unmaking of Israel, The Accidental Empire, and The End of Days – and coauthor of Shalom, Friend: The Life and Legacy of Yitzhak Rabin, winner of the National Jewish Book Award.
Gershom is a columnist for The Washington Post and a senior correspondent for The American Prospect. He has written for The Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times Magazine, the New York Review of Books, The New Republic, and in Hebrew for Haaretz. He will return to the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism in 2021 to teach the workshop he created on writing history.
He lives in Jerusalem with his wife, journalist Myra Noveck. They have three children – Yehonatan, Yasmin and Shir-Raz.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
January 8, 2022
I am a big fan of history. I am well read when it comes to WWII, both the European and Pacific theaters. Except for an odd article here or there, and the TV program 'Desert Rats', this would be my first comprehensive book on the Middle East theater.
This book has everything. Coded messages, easy access to most (all) embassies, spies and espionage, good luck and bad luck, errors, politics and blindness to the true nature of man. It was a great ride through the various campaigns and subterfuge. You will shake your head more than one. If you are a history buff, especially when itt comes to WWII, don't bypass this book.
Netgallery supplied me with this ARC in exchange for a review.
This book has everything. Coded messages, easy access to most (all) embassies, spies and espionage, good luck and bad luck, errors, politics and blindness to the true nature of man. It was a great ride through the various campaigns and subterfuge. You will shake your head more than one. If you are a history buff, especially when itt comes to WWII, don't bypass this book.
Netgallery supplied me with this ARC in exchange for a review.
June 12, 2021
This book started out fantastically but by the last hundred pages it started dragging. I also had trouble keeping all the names straight
October 6, 2021
Started it with hesitation, but Gorenberg takes on a journey looking at WWII from a new perspective with the Middle East at its center.
November 9, 2020
If you're interested in WWII, and specifically, the North African Theater battles between the Desert Fox himself and British forces, this is a book for you.,
Gorenberg helpfully provides a listing of all the players at the front of the book, so if you're not intimately familiar with everything that was going on in the chaos of North Africa, you'll find that handy, The story, at its heart. is about people: their victories, but also their great failures. Both are abundant here - it is a war, after all.
It's a dense book, and requires attention. Here and there, it strays a little outside the lines (and it is clear the author is both very familiar with and very passionate about the period examined during these periods). However, it is a worthy read, an these occasional ramblings are worth it in the overall scheme of things.
Four and a half stars out of five, for the rambles, rounded up to five for a well-written and entertaining (as entertaining as war can be) book.
Thanks to Perseus Books/Public Affairs and NetGalley for the review copy.
Gorenberg helpfully provides a listing of all the players at the front of the book, so if you're not intimately familiar with everything that was going on in the chaos of North Africa, you'll find that handy, The story, at its heart. is about people: their victories, but also their great failures. Both are abundant here - it is a war, after all.
It's a dense book, and requires attention. Here and there, it strays a little outside the lines (and it is clear the author is both very familiar with and very passionate about the period examined during these periods). However, it is a worthy read, an these occasional ramblings are worth it in the overall scheme of things.
Four and a half stars out of five, for the rambles, rounded up to five for a well-written and entertaining (as entertaining as war can be) book.
Thanks to Perseus Books/Public Affairs and NetGalley for the review copy.
October 27, 2021
Written in a suspenseful fashion as if a screenplay for a Hollywood movie, yet clearly a well-documented history, this book would appeal to anyone interested in both the Egyptian/ Middle Eastern front of World War II as well as code-breaking (and code-book stealing) operations of the Axis and Allies. Many readers will be familiar with Bletchley Park and decoding of the German Ultra Code, but the Germans had broken allied codes as well (particularly US codes) and the Italians simply broke into embassy safes to acquire codebooks. The drama comes from the sense of impending doom as first pro-German factions strive to take over Iraq, then German armies make their plans to march southward into Russia toward the Caucasus and the Middle East beyond, and above all as Rommel's forces march ever closer across Libya towards Alexandria, Egypt. We hear of Egyptian shopkeepers in that city putting "Willkommen" signs in shop windows for the expected inevitable German entry. Jewish paramilitary forces planned to die in a Masada-like last stand against the superior might of German forces. We hear of a Nazi Einsatzgruppen (mobile killing unit) set to deploy to Egypt to carryout the murderous Final Solution in Egypt with plans to go on to eventually wipe out the Zionists in Palestine. The death unit never got further than Athens due to the Germans losing the Battle of Al Alamein. The book paints a dread picture of "what might have been" but also clearly documents the role that codebreaking on both sides played in both initial Axis successes as well as their ultimate failure.
January 29, 2023
While there is much good in the book it needs more work. It lacks focus and has a tendency to wander off. In addition the author seems to fancy himself an iconoclast but the only icons being targeted are those of people who think movies and TV are history.
September 30, 2024
Subject of interest to me. But it was just droning on. The voice of the reader (audiobook) was also unpleasant. So - I dropped it.
April 10, 2021
This is a remarkable book, representing darn good story telling and a triumph of research!
Several popular World War II movies depict the last-ditch effort of the Allies in North Africa, at El Alamein, to stop the advance of seemingly invincible General Rommel and his panzer and infantry units in 1942.
However, while those efforts were truly heroic, the author makes clear that much code-breaking was happening in England, to break the German Enigma codes, in close to real time, with information that ultimately enabling the Allied victory.
Prior to that victory, the Germans had broken the US code, and were able to decode reports of the US military attaché in Egypt, who was well informed about the British mood and troop locations in Egypt and was regularly reporting back to the US. These reports proved invaluable to Rommel and the Germans in key points of Rommel’s advance.
The British knew there was a problem with the American transmissions, since they could look at German reports (and the US reports). The American’s were notified, and after finally deciding to change the codes, incompetence delayed the process. However, right before Rommel’s final push to the Nile, the codes were changed, keeping Rommel unaware of British movement. On the other hand, the British had learned and finally utilized the decoded German information to finally stop Rommel’s advance.
When the British first learned that the German’s were getting information from sources in Cairo, they were not sure if the Germans had broken the code, had stolen code books, or if there was a spy. This took time to determine, and was a mystery on top of the code-breaking efforts.
The battle for El Alamein is an important turning point in the war, both psychologically and militarily (the lost of the middle east oil fields and the use of the Suez Canal would have been devastating to the Allies). It marked a turning point in the war.
This book tells the multi-faceted story of the code-breaking and mystery around the German’s early knowledge of British troops in Egypt. The author had access to many sources in writing this book. He also tracked some of the diplomatic activities. One interesting source was the diary of the Italian foreign minister and Mussolini’s son-in-law, Galeazzo Ciano.
Finally, the writer tells the story in a compelling manner, keeping the reader interested and a bit on the edge of her/his seat.
FB. A fascinating story, darn well told and researched, about a critical event in World War II, that reveals the importance of code-breaking and the dangers of poor security. An important lesson for today’s world of cybersecurity defense and offense.
Several popular World War II movies depict the last-ditch effort of the Allies in North Africa, at El Alamein, to stop the advance of seemingly invincible General Rommel and his panzer and infantry units in 1942.
However, while those efforts were truly heroic, the author makes clear that much code-breaking was happening in England, to break the German Enigma codes, in close to real time, with information that ultimately enabling the Allied victory.
Prior to that victory, the Germans had broken the US code, and were able to decode reports of the US military attaché in Egypt, who was well informed about the British mood and troop locations in Egypt and was regularly reporting back to the US. These reports proved invaluable to Rommel and the Germans in key points of Rommel’s advance.
The British knew there was a problem with the American transmissions, since they could look at German reports (and the US reports). The American’s were notified, and after finally deciding to change the codes, incompetence delayed the process. However, right before Rommel’s final push to the Nile, the codes were changed, keeping Rommel unaware of British movement. On the other hand, the British had learned and finally utilized the decoded German information to finally stop Rommel’s advance.
When the British first learned that the German’s were getting information from sources in Cairo, they were not sure if the Germans had broken the code, had stolen code books, or if there was a spy. This took time to determine, and was a mystery on top of the code-breaking efforts.
The battle for El Alamein is an important turning point in the war, both psychologically and militarily (the lost of the middle east oil fields and the use of the Suez Canal would have been devastating to the Allies). It marked a turning point in the war.
This book tells the multi-faceted story of the code-breaking and mystery around the German’s early knowledge of British troops in Egypt. The author had access to many sources in writing this book. He also tracked some of the diplomatic activities. One interesting source was the diary of the Italian foreign minister and Mussolini’s son-in-law, Galeazzo Ciano.
Finally, the writer tells the story in a compelling manner, keeping the reader interested and a bit on the edge of her/his seat.
FB. A fascinating story, darn well told and researched, about a critical event in World War II, that reveals the importance of code-breaking and the dangers of poor security. An important lesson for today’s world of cybersecurity defense and offense.
April 23, 2021
An outstanding book on the early African Theater. Having read nearly 35 works on the second world war, I very quickly realized that my knowledge on this topic mostly started with the Torch landings of November 1942. This work covers the period prior to that (39-42) and covers it well! The only downside is that it contains so much information I probably need to read it again at some point to fully absorb everything.
June 23, 2021
Since the author is a friend of mine, and I was in contact with him while he was doing the deep and protracted research for this fine book, I make no claim to complete objectivity. However, even were I not his friend, I would be full of wild admiration for this intelligent, well-written, diligently-researched, and powerfully focused book.
The subject, the role of code-cracking and military intelligence in the outcome of World War II, more specifically, the Nazi threat to Egypt, is not one I would ever have read about if Gershom hadn't written his book. I wasn't aware of how dangerous the war in North Africa was for the Allies (essentially, for England, as, until 1942, England was fighting alone). I also wasn't aware of how crucial the cracking of the Enigma code was in defeating Nazi Germany (and Japan). Anyway, since I knew how it came out in the end, it wasn't a topic that gripped me. How wrong I was.
Gorenberg's detailed research and his mastery of the facts are more than impressive. He also covers a wide cast of often very colorful and interesting protagonists, from inept German spies through a clever and resourceful Italian safe-cracker whose work exploited the negligent security measures of British and American embassies, through a Hungarian adventurer the military personnel on both sides, and the political figures - Churchill and Roosevelt, etc.
I have to admit that I occasionally got lost and/or drowned in the details, but I am grateful for Gershom's dogged effort to muster and present them. He deflates legends and gets to the bottom of puzzling matters, reminds the reader that Rommel wasn't a noble warrior, but a vicious Nazi, and successfully evokes the atmosphere in wartime Cairo.
I imagine that there are thousands upon thousands of WWII buffs, who devour every book about it. I hope they all buy Gershom's book and repay him for the enormous effort it took to write it.
The subject, the role of code-cracking and military intelligence in the outcome of World War II, more specifically, the Nazi threat to Egypt, is not one I would ever have read about if Gershom hadn't written his book. I wasn't aware of how dangerous the war in North Africa was for the Allies (essentially, for England, as, until 1942, England was fighting alone). I also wasn't aware of how crucial the cracking of the Enigma code was in defeating Nazi Germany (and Japan). Anyway, since I knew how it came out in the end, it wasn't a topic that gripped me. How wrong I was.
Gorenberg's detailed research and his mastery of the facts are more than impressive. He also covers a wide cast of often very colorful and interesting protagonists, from inept German spies through a clever and resourceful Italian safe-cracker whose work exploited the negligent security measures of British and American embassies, through a Hungarian adventurer the military personnel on both sides, and the political figures - Churchill and Roosevelt, etc.
I have to admit that I occasionally got lost and/or drowned in the details, but I am grateful for Gershom's dogged effort to muster and present them. He deflates legends and gets to the bottom of puzzling matters, reminds the reader that Rommel wasn't a noble warrior, but a vicious Nazi, and successfully evokes the atmosphere in wartime Cairo.
I imagine that there are thousands upon thousands of WWII buffs, who devour every book about it. I hope they all buy Gershom's book and repay him for the enormous effort it took to write it.
April 25, 2021
I was a bit unsure at the start of the book where it was heading but the more of the book I read the more I enjoyed it.
It was the sub-title that first drew my attention to this newly published book: - 'Codebreakers, spies, and the secret struggle to drive the Nazis from the Middle East'.
Before reading this book I knew two things about these goings on: a) the name El Alamein b) that Germany somehow came unstuck in North Africa whilst pursuing their Middle East conquest.
Gershom spent 7 years researching the book so obviously there is a lot of new material here. However, it looks principally not at the battlefield maneuvers and fighting in North Africa, but at the behind-the-scenes intelligence war, the sometimes literal palace intrigues and the diplomatic efforts of the campaign.
In this day and age much light is being shed on the women who had made enormous contributions to our nation and this book does exactly that by rediscovering Margeret Storey ('the lady who spied on spies') who it could be argued was responsible for Romell's defeat in his last battle in North Africa, a battle he expected to win with ease.
Margaret aged 23 could speak at least 9 languages fluently and has been deliberately air brushed from history by the British ... well she now has the recognition she deserves.
The climax of the story is quite intense in that Hitler, expecting the easy victory, had already despatched his gas wagons to join Romell to eliminate all the 75,000 jews in Egypt, then at least half a million Jews in Palestine, then 25,000 in Syria and Lebanon, and eventually 100,000 Jews in Iraq.
It was the sub-title that first drew my attention to this newly published book: - 'Codebreakers, spies, and the secret struggle to drive the Nazis from the Middle East'.
Before reading this book I knew two things about these goings on: a) the name El Alamein b) that Germany somehow came unstuck in North Africa whilst pursuing their Middle East conquest.
Gershom spent 7 years researching the book so obviously there is a lot of new material here. However, it looks principally not at the battlefield maneuvers and fighting in North Africa, but at the behind-the-scenes intelligence war, the sometimes literal palace intrigues and the diplomatic efforts of the campaign.
In this day and age much light is being shed on the women who had made enormous contributions to our nation and this book does exactly that by rediscovering Margeret Storey ('the lady who spied on spies') who it could be argued was responsible for Romell's defeat in his last battle in North Africa, a battle he expected to win with ease.
Margaret aged 23 could speak at least 9 languages fluently and has been deliberately air brushed from history by the British ... well she now has the recognition she deserves.
The climax of the story is quite intense in that Hitler, expecting the easy victory, had already despatched his gas wagons to join Romell to eliminate all the 75,000 jews in Egypt, then at least half a million Jews in Palestine, then 25,000 in Syria and Lebanon, and eventually 100,000 Jews in Iraq.
June 9, 2021
War of Shadows: Codebreakers, Spies, and the Secret Struggle to Drive the Nazis from the Middle East by Gershom Gorenberg is both interesting and muddled. Gorenberg does a great job with all aspects of this work: espionage; Egyptian archeology; battlefield narratives; code breaking and political maneuverings but he never really succeeds in pulling all of these pieces together into a single narrative. There is a lot going on, he covers it all but not as completely as the publisher blurbs and marketing suggested the work would. While the author provides a ‘who’s who’ at the outset, the book is severely marred by the lack of images and maps. Not sure who made that decision (publisher, editor or author) but they should revisit that choice ‘if’ the books makes it to a paper bound edition. In summary - a good read but not a great one.
July 23, 2021
I learned a ton from this book. I had read a little about Rommel and Montgomery before, but this starts well before either arrives in Africa. There are complicated politics and sad Italian military conquest. Besides the conquest of Ethiopia, 100,000+ Libyans were killed as Mussolini exercised his ambitions. He joined Hitler specifically to make sure he got more countries given to him when the West surrendered and divided up Europe in a big conference.
There were forceful, curious, and/or intelligent individuals interacting in pre-WWII Africa that had no idea they would end up being historical figures in Egypt, Israel, and WWII. Most on both sides were caught offguard by the demands of desert warfare and the lack of precise geographical knowledge of the miles of barren desert. Just being curious and exploring and learning beforehand helped certain individuals and groups have huge advantages in war.
The war was often as much logistical and surveillance-oriented as actual clash of soldiers. The book had the premise of talking about intelligence and code-breaking, but it also spent as much time on the personalities and development of the logictics and the moving battle front in Africa and the effects on the native peoples of Africa as well as the implications in the Middle East. The author lives in Jerusalem.
Rommel's mystique is punctured here, both as a military genius, and as supposedly an "honorable" general not like the other Nazis. Poor British leadership and planning had as much to do with Rommel's victories as his tactics. The Germans were reading the very detailed cables of an American military official in Cairo who was telling Washington in detail about British plans and conditions. This went right up to just before the big battle they lost at El Alamein, while in those same weeks the British started consistently cracking Mediterranean Enigma and passing the intel on in a timely manner. Rommel successfully ignored supply lines until he got stuck. (Montgomery took over just as Rommel was already stopped by lack of fuel and the codes were broken, but had no problem taking credit.) Rommel also had an SS unit sent to Africa specifically to liquidate the Jews like in Europe and just had them waiting until he finished up the conquest of Egypt.
The outside viewpoint about the British, Germans, and Americans was refreshing, and he detailed clearly how the Jews in Palestine didn't believe the extent of the Holocaust occurring in Poland either, but were preparing for something bad.
In the epilogue, he was explaining what happened to many of the principal figures. In discussing the politics of that American military guy, Bonner Fellers, who accidentally gave away military secrets (He was called the "Good Source" in German communication), the author discussed the John Birch Society and perfectly articulated the crazy conspiracy-oriented view that currently has a lot of influence in the US.
"...He publicly endorsed the John Birch Society. The fundamental idea of that organization was that every event was the result of someone's intentional action, and that a web of conspiracy joined those actions. The only plausible explanation of Cold War setbacks abroad and political defeats for conservatives at home was treason--Communists within the ranks of American government who acted on behalf of the Kremlin.
Fellers' embrace of such thinking was ironic, because the Good Source affair was devastating disproof of the conspiratorial view of human affairs. History does, indeed, contain stories hidden beneath stories. It is shaped by determined people, evil and good men and women, cowards and heroes--but very often, not as they intend.
[Discussion how German intercepts of Fellers' communication with Washington was a major factor in victories in Africa, and the accidental timing of the broken code being changed was one of the main factors in Rommel's defeat at El Alamein. Also, Waterloo was hugely affected by rain in the night delaying the battle and a road that unknownst to Napoleon was in a ditch.]
A piece of paper apparently misplaced and then found on a desk changed the lives of millions and the future of the Middle East."
There were forceful, curious, and/or intelligent individuals interacting in pre-WWII Africa that had no idea they would end up being historical figures in Egypt, Israel, and WWII. Most on both sides were caught offguard by the demands of desert warfare and the lack of precise geographical knowledge of the miles of barren desert. Just being curious and exploring and learning beforehand helped certain individuals and groups have huge advantages in war.
The war was often as much logistical and surveillance-oriented as actual clash of soldiers. The book had the premise of talking about intelligence and code-breaking, but it also spent as much time on the personalities and development of the logictics and the moving battle front in Africa and the effects on the native peoples of Africa as well as the implications in the Middle East. The author lives in Jerusalem.
Rommel's mystique is punctured here, both as a military genius, and as supposedly an "honorable" general not like the other Nazis. Poor British leadership and planning had as much to do with Rommel's victories as his tactics. The Germans were reading the very detailed cables of an American military official in Cairo who was telling Washington in detail about British plans and conditions. This went right up to just before the big battle they lost at El Alamein, while in those same weeks the British started consistently cracking Mediterranean Enigma and passing the intel on in a timely manner. Rommel successfully ignored supply lines until he got stuck. (Montgomery took over just as Rommel was already stopped by lack of fuel and the codes were broken, but had no problem taking credit.) Rommel also had an SS unit sent to Africa specifically to liquidate the Jews like in Europe and just had them waiting until he finished up the conquest of Egypt.
The outside viewpoint about the British, Germans, and Americans was refreshing, and he detailed clearly how the Jews in Palestine didn't believe the extent of the Holocaust occurring in Poland either, but were preparing for something bad.
In the epilogue, he was explaining what happened to many of the principal figures. In discussing the politics of that American military guy, Bonner Fellers, who accidentally gave away military secrets (He was called the "Good Source" in German communication), the author discussed the John Birch Society and perfectly articulated the crazy conspiracy-oriented view that currently has a lot of influence in the US.
"...He publicly endorsed the John Birch Society. The fundamental idea of that organization was that every event was the result of someone's intentional action, and that a web of conspiracy joined those actions. The only plausible explanation of Cold War setbacks abroad and political defeats for conservatives at home was treason--Communists within the ranks of American government who acted on behalf of the Kremlin.
Fellers' embrace of such thinking was ironic, because the Good Source affair was devastating disproof of the conspiratorial view of human affairs. History does, indeed, contain stories hidden beneath stories. It is shaped by determined people, evil and good men and women, cowards and heroes--but very often, not as they intend.
[Discussion how German intercepts of Fellers' communication with Washington was a major factor in victories in Africa, and the accidental timing of the broken code being changed was one of the main factors in Rommel's defeat at El Alamein. Also, Waterloo was hugely affected by rain in the night delaying the battle and a road that unknownst to Napoleon was in a ditch.]
A piece of paper apparently misplaced and then found on a desk changed the lives of millions and the future of the Middle East."
January 17, 2021
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War of Shadows: Codebreakers, Spies, and the Secret Struggle to Drive the Nazis from the Middle East by Gershom Gorenberg is a history book recounting the Nazi army’s march through Africa and Egypt. Mr. Gorenberg is a historian and journalist specializing in Middle East affairs
This is a World War II book recounting the battles between Erwin Rommel, the Dessert Fox, and the British, ending at the battle of El Alamein. The author tells the story through the eyes of the participants, without much conjecture, but with fascinating analysis. This is a history book about people and how their successes and failures changed history.
The battle for North Africa, at the time, had far reaching consequences. The might of the Nazi Army was on display, Mussolini’s Italian Empire was on the line, and of course control of the oil fields for the war in Europe. The Egyptians were promised to rule themselves if the Axis won, and that promise, worthless or not, had also its affects.
The book is dense, but mesmerizing. It requires attention from the reader but the author helpfully supplies a list of personnel in the front of the book if needed. If you are familiar with history of the Middle East after the battlefield moved to Europe you’d recognize how getting ready for a Nazi occupation shaped people and nations. For example, the Jews in Palestine took it upon themselves to train, as semi-professional army, or join the British forces, for defense against Rommel’s forces when they win Egypt and roll into Palestine. The Jews knew they were going to be massacred and wanted to put up a fight, the outcome would probably have been the same though. In 1948, however, the Jews had a disciplined, trained, and experienced soldiers and commanders. The rest is history.
The author mainly talks about events in Cairo and Bletchley Park, England focusing on failed spies and cryptographers. I enjoyed the center stage the cryptographers received (finally), and how their work, thankless and obscure for decades, had changed the outcome of the war. The author tells of the brilliance of humans, as well as the notion that no matter what, they are still the weakest link in the security chain and their mistakes cost dearly.
The book does a great job to taking a complex, and messy, narrative and shaping it for the reader to understand. It was amusing to read how an obscure, but genius, cryptographer working in a dank room had far reaching consequences on the other side of the world without anyone knowing about it. This is the history that I love to read, human stories with real consequences, unsung heroes who made a difference.
War of Shadows: Codebreakers, Spies, and the Secret Struggle to Drive the Nazis from the Middle East by Gershom Gorenberg is a fascinating read about a part of the war which doesn’t get as much attention. As a bonus, encryption, human intelligence, and signal intelligence have far reaching lessons which we should take to heart in today’s world of connected networks, which unfortunately it seem we haven’t learned much (in the humint category) since the late 1930s.
War of Shadows: Codebreakers, Spies, and the Secret Struggle to Drive the Nazis from the Middle East by Gershom Gorenberg is a history book recounting the Nazi army’s march through Africa and Egypt. Mr. Gorenberg is a historian and journalist specializing in Middle East affairs
This is a World War II book recounting the battles between Erwin Rommel, the Dessert Fox, and the British, ending at the battle of El Alamein. The author tells the story through the eyes of the participants, without much conjecture, but with fascinating analysis. This is a history book about people and how their successes and failures changed history.
The battle for North Africa, at the time, had far reaching consequences. The might of the Nazi Army was on display, Mussolini’s Italian Empire was on the line, and of course control of the oil fields for the war in Europe. The Egyptians were promised to rule themselves if the Axis won, and that promise, worthless or not, had also its affects.
The book is dense, but mesmerizing. It requires attention from the reader but the author helpfully supplies a list of personnel in the front of the book if needed. If you are familiar with history of the Middle East after the battlefield moved to Europe you’d recognize how getting ready for a Nazi occupation shaped people and nations. For example, the Jews in Palestine took it upon themselves to train, as semi-professional army, or join the British forces, for defense against Rommel’s forces when they win Egypt and roll into Palestine. The Jews knew they were going to be massacred and wanted to put up a fight, the outcome would probably have been the same though. In 1948, however, the Jews had a disciplined, trained, and experienced soldiers and commanders. The rest is history.
The author mainly talks about events in Cairo and Bletchley Park, England focusing on failed spies and cryptographers. I enjoyed the center stage the cryptographers received (finally), and how their work, thankless and obscure for decades, had changed the outcome of the war. The author tells of the brilliance of humans, as well as the notion that no matter what, they are still the weakest link in the security chain and their mistakes cost dearly.
The book does a great job to taking a complex, and messy, narrative and shaping it for the reader to understand. It was amusing to read how an obscure, but genius, cryptographer working in a dank room had far reaching consequences on the other side of the world without anyone knowing about it. This is the history that I love to read, human stories with real consequences, unsung heroes who made a difference.
War of Shadows: Codebreakers, Spies, and the Secret Struggle to Drive the Nazis from the Middle East by Gershom Gorenberg is a fascinating read about a part of the war which doesn’t get as much attention. As a bonus, encryption, human intelligence, and signal intelligence have far reaching lessons which we should take to heart in today’s world of connected networks, which unfortunately it seem we haven’t learned much (in the humint category) since the late 1930s.
October 21, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.
War of Shadows is about the Middle East Theatre of World War II and the espionage/intelligence efforts that shaped it. The book primarily toggles between Cairo and Bletchley Park in England, the location of the English cryptographers, and features an enormous cast of historical figures (thank heavens for the list of dramatis personae at the front of the book). While there are some big names that take center stage, like the Desert Fox himself, the book is also full of failed spies, brilliant cryptanalysts, Egyptian politicians, a disputed count (yes, Almasy, the basis for The English Patient, makes an appearance), and more.
What I like most about the work is that it attacks the notion of a clear victory between right and wrong to show instead, as the book copy says, "a spiraling series of failures, accidents, and desperate triumphs." History traditionally tends to focus on moments of brilliance and "great men". This book is different. Enigma was certainly solved with some genius-level inspiration from the Polish mathematicians Rejewski, Zygalski, and Rozycki and Turing, but the secrets pried from those encoded messages were also the product of meticulous work on the part of the codebreakers and profoundly human mistakes from the Germans. The contrast between human intelligence and signals intelligence is fascinating. On the subject of mistakes, the running theme of Americans being unwilling to change their codes after being warned about them being cracked was certainly eye-opening.
The book gets bogged down a little, perhaps in part because of the effort to express the complexity and messiness, but a sincere tip-of-the-hat to the author for shaping a coherent story while retaining that messiness. I found myself having to consult the list of historical figures at the front of the book to remind myself who I was reading about. Still, an absolutely fascinating read about an important period of the war that gets rather less attention (at least in the American-geared media I generally consume). I highly recommend reading the epilogue and the acknowledgements section-- they wrap the book up nicely.
War of Shadows is about the Middle East Theatre of World War II and the espionage/intelligence efforts that shaped it. The book primarily toggles between Cairo and Bletchley Park in England, the location of the English cryptographers, and features an enormous cast of historical figures (thank heavens for the list of dramatis personae at the front of the book). While there are some big names that take center stage, like the Desert Fox himself, the book is also full of failed spies, brilliant cryptanalysts, Egyptian politicians, a disputed count (yes, Almasy, the basis for The English Patient, makes an appearance), and more.
What I like most about the work is that it attacks the notion of a clear victory between right and wrong to show instead, as the book copy says, "a spiraling series of failures, accidents, and desperate triumphs." History traditionally tends to focus on moments of brilliance and "great men". This book is different. Enigma was certainly solved with some genius-level inspiration from the Polish mathematicians Rejewski, Zygalski, and Rozycki and Turing, but the secrets pried from those encoded messages were also the product of meticulous work on the part of the codebreakers and profoundly human mistakes from the Germans. The contrast between human intelligence and signals intelligence is fascinating. On the subject of mistakes, the running theme of Americans being unwilling to change their codes after being warned about them being cracked was certainly eye-opening.
The book gets bogged down a little, perhaps in part because of the effort to express the complexity and messiness, but a sincere tip-of-the-hat to the author for shaping a coherent story while retaining that messiness. I found myself having to consult the list of historical figures at the front of the book to remind myself who I was reading about. Still, an absolutely fascinating read about an important period of the war that gets rather less attention (at least in the American-geared media I generally consume). I highly recommend reading the epilogue and the acknowledgements section-- they wrap the book up nicely.
January 27, 2021
In England even before the second world war began, had created a group of crytographers whose job was to break the German and Italian codes used by diplomats and the military. This book concentrates on how the broken codes effected the war in North Africa. But we are not only privy to the broken Axis codes but to how the Germans and Italians used broken codes of the English and Americans.
Not all codes could be broke completely and therefore the information that was gained by the broken codes differed at times and would give on side or the other the advantage. The British know when Rommel is low on fuel and he knows where the British plan to ambush him. In the end it is the intercept of information that Rommel is making a dash for Cairo but is planning to use the captured British supplies after he destroys the British tank corps.
The most interesting to me of all the codebreakers was the Italians. They insinuated their people into all of the Allied Embassies, and then broke into them and stole the codebooks when the Embassy was empty at night and copied the codes and then put them back with no one the wiser.
The British also had a bad habit of sending cables in the clear or under easily broken codes that compromised everything they did or proposed to do.
Not all codes could be broke completely and therefore the information that was gained by the broken codes differed at times and would give on side or the other the advantage. The British know when Rommel is low on fuel and he knows where the British plan to ambush him. In the end it is the intercept of information that Rommel is making a dash for Cairo but is planning to use the captured British supplies after he destroys the British tank corps.
The most interesting to me of all the codebreakers was the Italians. They insinuated their people into all of the Allied Embassies, and then broke into them and stole the codebooks when the Embassy was empty at night and copied the codes and then put them back with no one the wiser.
The British also had a bad habit of sending cables in the clear or under easily broken codes that compromised everything they did or proposed to do.
October 22, 2024
I found this book a bit difficult to read. Lots of names...couldn't always tell who was who - German, British, American or otherwise. Still I learned a lot about a part of WWII that I didn't know much about. I had heard about the Desert Fox Rommel and his ultimate defeat at El Aleman. But I didn't know how close he was to taking over Egypt and the Nazi plan to attack the Middle East (including Palestine) from both the south and from the north from Russia (they got turned back at Stalingrad). One shudders to think how many more hundreds of thousand Jews would have been murdered had they succeeded. In fact, Rommel had the mastermind of the eiserzgroupen - the mobile killing vans - that followed him in Africa and planned to do with the Jews in territories captured by Rommel what was done to the Jews of the Soviet Union. Disturbing to say the least. Difficult but worth the read with some degree of patience.
September 12, 2023
I haven't been drawn to the Mediterranean and Middle East theater of the Second World War, but Gorenberg's prose on this part of the globe has a particular pull for an amateur enthusiast like me. Told through the lens of various individuals, both larger-than-life and the ordinary, the book offers pulsating moments that have ultimately shaped the outcome of the conflict: from London's earlier distrust to share intelligence with Washington to American military leaders' frustrations over Britain's handling of the battle, from the vacillating loyalties of Middle Eastern states to how carelessness more than spies betrayed secrets for both sides of the war. This is a gripping behind-the-scenes look through the vivid landscapes of wartime North Africa.
March 29, 2021
The subject matter of this book is interesting: the part of WWII fought in Egypt and Libya focusing on the work of breaking the communication codes used by the Nazis. I think of the "Middle East" as the other side of the Suez Canal, not Africa, so I felt it was somewhat unexpected based on the title. I found the book tedious and laborious to read. There were so many different players involved, people from many countries involved in myriad actions, sometimes acting as spies or double-agents. My husband thought the book a quick read so maybe it's just that I had difficulty. If you're interested in the subject then it would be a good book to read.
July 17, 2021
Non-fiction. Listened to the audio book.
Excellent work of research, amazing story and real new insights into WWII history. Focused on the North Africa/Middle East front with focus on the role of cryptography/spycraft in Cairo, Bletchley Park, DC, Japan, Rome, Palestine to help understand the advance of Rommel across North Africa (and his eventual defeat before he reached Alexandria.) I enjoyed and appreciated the book, but can't recommend the audio book itself because the story is so complex and the cast of characters so large that one wants/needs the character list that the print book provides, and the ability to easily flip back to remind oneself of a character or story line.
Excellent work of research, amazing story and real new insights into WWII history. Focused on the North Africa/Middle East front with focus on the role of cryptography/spycraft in Cairo, Bletchley Park, DC, Japan, Rome, Palestine to help understand the advance of Rommel across North Africa (and his eventual defeat before he reached Alexandria.) I enjoyed and appreciated the book, but can't recommend the audio book itself because the story is so complex and the cast of characters so large that one wants/needs the character list that the print book provides, and the ability to easily flip back to remind oneself of a character or story line.
April 5, 2021
A good read telling the story of the myriad of code breakers and spies in North Africa who dramatically effected the outcomes of WWII and Hitler's plan to take the middle-east, annihilate the local Jewish population, take the oil, and meet up with forces coming down from Russia. Gorenberg gives us a number of previously unknown heroes to thank. This is also a good companion to Ken Follett's The Key To Rebecca which fictionalized some of this history and also a good companion for readings on Rommel and North Africa during the war. 4.5. Slow start and an amazingly well-written second half.
March 5, 2021
It takes allot to add new knowledge to the sea of research available on World War II. Packaging that document based research in an engaging and page turning tale to rival the dramatized/fictionalized versions of history requires talent.
One of the dramatic tools in the hands of the document based historian's war chest is the ability to tell the story of those that didn't make it. Not only those who lived to tell the tale.
One of the dramatic tools in the hands of the document based historian's war chest is the ability to tell the story of those that didn't make it. Not only those who lived to tell the tale.
March 5, 2021
An interesting, entertaining book. Mr. Gorenberg has spent a lot of time in Bletchley Park archives and done a lot of other research as well. He has written a history that reads like a novel and covers a somewhat overlooked aspect of WWII in the Middle East. He highlights a lot of unsung heroes, who because of their sense of duty, often did not receive the honors so justly their due in their lifetime.
August 8, 2021
I also found that prior to reading this book, my knowledge of the war in the desert was very limited. But I am very keen on code craft and this part of the story was fascinating. It also features Count Almazy, the hero of the English Patient so that was also very interesting. Finally while I was reading it, I picked up The Key to Rebecca, a very early Ken Follett book which is set in the same time and place.
August 22, 2021
Excellent attention in detail
One of the best summaries of events of German British war of North East Africa and Palestine during WWII. A lot of factoids to clean up the myths and BS developed over the years. Interconnectivity and kismet’s role from Moshe Dayan to Enwar Sadat is mind boggling. I enjoyed every page of history of the code braking and its role of changing the direction of WWII to todays world…
One of the best summaries of events of German British war of North East Africa and Palestine during WWII. A lot of factoids to clean up the myths and BS developed over the years. Interconnectivity and kismet’s role from Moshe Dayan to Enwar Sadat is mind boggling. I enjoyed every page of history of the code braking and its role of changing the direction of WWII to todays world…
May 19, 2024
An enigma machine sits in a display case in the Anzus corridor in the Pentagon and has always intrigued me as a student of WWII history. This novel added to the lure and admiration due to the true geniuses who devised and cracked this code breaking device. What made this book even more entertaining was that its focus was WWII from the Middle East perspective. Very well written and offers a somewhat different account of historical significance
February 28, 2021
An interesting book about the role of code breaking and spy craft in the Africa/Middle Eastern front of WWII. It took a little while for all the enjoyable digressions about fascinating people and places to come together, but it was worth the journey. I especially liked insights into modern Egyptian history and the seeds that were planted for the post-war Middle East.
December 17, 2023
The book needed more than a map of the Middle East, it also needed a road map of which code did what, how it was broken, who was reading it and when. But other than getting lost in the muddle of the codes, it was an interesting review of the Middle East during WWII and how the code breaking caused or at least helped to cause Rommel's defeat.
Read
September 20, 2021Extremely detailed but everything did come together at the end. I was expecting a bit more double-agent, active spying compared to code breaking but a good read that shed light on a less known aspect of WW2 and how it had ripple effects to today’s political dealings and powers in the Middle East
January 5, 2021
Great historical real to life synopsis of all the challenges involved in WWII codebreaking. Very worth reading and learning and enjoying.
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