Seizing the Enigma - The Race to Break the German U-Boats Codes, 1939-1943 (1991) Front Cover Book Details Author David A. Kahn Genre Cryptology; History; World War II Publication Date 1998 Format Hardcover (240 x mm) Publisher Barnes & Noble Books Language English Plot From Our Editors Among the famous battles of World War II, the longest and most critical was the Battle of the Atlantic--the struggle between the American convoys bringing supplies to Britain and the German U-boats bent on severing that lifeline. No matter where else on earth conflicts raged, leaders on both sides understood that whoever won the Battle of the Atlantic would win the war. From the start, Germany had the advantage with the diabolically devised encryption machine known as Enigma. Breaking the Enigma codes became the singleminded obsession of a brilliant band of mathematicians, chess champions, and linguists who labored on behalf of the Allied cause behind closed doors at an English estate called Bletchley Park. In this book, cryptologist David Kahn recounts the story of the dramatic race between codemakers and codebreakers, focusing on the personalities involved, describing the at-sea captures of encryption keys that led to the Allied breakthrough, and depicting the enormous impact this information had on the most cataclysmic war in history. B&W photos. From The Critics Library Journal Although most soldiers in modern war never see combat, those who do rely on the various rear-echelon support troops. In this title Kahn documents how one branch (intelligence) shaped the course of World War II. We learn how the Poles provided the French and the British with the ability to break the various German codes. After the start of the war, a series of fortuitous events as well as hard work enabled the British (and later, the Americans) to break the German Naval Code, which used the famous "Enigma" cipher machine. Narrator Bernard Mayes's reading is good, but his German could be better. Blackstone has produced a work up to its usual high standards. This fascinating story shows that no matter how advanced the technology, the human factor will always be decisive. For popular collections.-Michael T. Fein, Catawba Valley Community Coll., Hickory, N.C. Personal Details Collection Status Not In Collection Store Barnes & Noble Location quarto Purchase Price $9.98 Purchase Date 2000 Condition Very Good Index 447 Owner Paulo Mendes Read It No Links URL Collection # 90106 Product Details LoC Classification D810.C88 K34 1991 Dewey 940.54/85 20 ISBN 0760708630 Edition 01 Printing 2 Country USA Cover Price $19.95 Nr of Pages 336 First Edition Yes Rare No Original Details Original Publisher The Wallace Literary Agency, Inc Original Publication Year 1991 Notes "A Thomas Congdon book"--T.p. verso. Includes bibliographical references (p. [311]-326) and index. ISBN original: 0395427398