World War II cryptography

From WarWiki
Jump to navigationJump to search

Cryptography was used extensively during World War II, with a plethora of code and cipher systems fielded by the nations involved. In addition, the theoretical and practical aspects of cryptanalysis, or codebreaking, was much advanced.

Probably the most important cryptographic event of the war was the successful decryption by the Allies of the German "Enigma" Cipher. The first complete break into Enigma was accomplished by Poland around 1932; the techniques and insights used were passed to the French and British Allies just before the outbreak of the War in 1939. They were substantially improved by British efforts at the Bletchley Park research station during the War. Decryption of the Enigma Cipher allowed the Allies to read important parts of German radio traffic on important networks and was an invaluable source of military intelligence throughout the War. Intelligence from this source (and other high level sources, including the Fish cyphers) was eventually called Ultra.

A similar break into an important Japanese cypher (PURPLE) by the US Army Signals Intelligence Service started before the US entered the War. Product from this source was called MAGIC. It was the highest security Japanese diplomatic cypher. For Japanese Naval cyphers see JN-25. See also Attack on Pearl Harbor.

Australia[edit | edit source]

France[edit | edit source]

Germany[edit | edit source]

Italy[edit | edit source]

  • used Commercial Enigma

Japan[edit | edit source]

Poland[edit | edit source]

Sweden[edit | edit source]

United Kingdom[edit | edit source]

United States[edit | edit source]

See also[edit | edit source]

World War II
Participants Theatres Main events Specific articles

The Allies
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Soviet Union
US flag 48 stars.svg United States
Flag of the Republic of China.svg Republic of China
Flag of Poland.svg Poland
Flag of Free France 1940-1944.svg Free France
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands
Flag of Belgium.svg Belgium
Canadian Red Ensign 1921.svg Canada
Flag of Norway.svg Norway
Flag of Greece (1828-1978).svg Greece
Flag of SFR Yugoslavia.svg Yugoslavia
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czechoslovakia
Imperial-India-Blue-Ensign.svg India
Flag of Australia.svg Australia
Flag of El Salvador.svg El Salvador
Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand
Flag of South Africa 1928-1994.svg South Africa
20px Egypt
Flag of the Philippines.svg Philippines
Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil

more...

The Axis
Flag of Germany 1933.svg Germany
Flag of Japan - variant.svg Japan
Kingdom of Italy Italy
Flag of Vichy France.gif Vichy France
Flag of Hungary 1940.svg Hungary
Flag of Bulgaria (1878-1944).svg Bulgaria
Flag of Romania.svg Romania
Flag of Finland.svg Finland
Flag of Croatia Ustasa.svg Croatia
Slovakia WW2 flag.svg Slovakia
Flag of Thailand.svg Thailand

more...

Prelude
Causes
in Europe
in Asia

Main theatres
Europe
Eastern Europe
China
Africa
Middle East
Mediterranean
Asia and the Pacific
Atlantic

General timeline
Timeline

1939
Invasion of Poland
Winter War

1940
Invasion of Denmark/Norway
Battle of France
Battle of Britain

1941
Invasion of the Soviet Union
Battle of Moscow
Attack on Pearl Harbor

1942
Battle of Midway
Battle of Stalingrad
Second Battle of El Alamein

1943
Battle of Kursk
Guadalcanal campaign
Invasion of Italy

1944
Battle of Normandy
Operation Bagration
Battle of Leyte Gulf

1945
Battle of Okinawa
Battle of Berlin
End in Europe
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Surrender of Japan

more...

Blitzkrieg
Cryptography
Equipment
Home Front
Military engagements
Production
Resistance
Technology

Civilian impact and atrocities
Nanking Massacre
Holocaust
Siege of Leningrad
Dutch famine of 1944
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Strategic bombings
Comfort women
Allied war crimes
German war crimes
Japanese war crimes

Aftermath
Effects
Casualties
Expulsion of Germans
Cold War

See also

Category:World War II
Topics
Conferences
Total war
WWII in contemporary culture
Military awards of World War II
Attacks on North America
Comparative military ranks of World War II