Breaking the German and Japanese Code

breaking the german and japanese code

The poles did broke the enigma code. Already in 1932.They started working on the enigma coding mechanism in 1923. That year the german ptt brought the enhanced version of the Arthur Scherbius Enigma machine into the market. The german army,Chiffrierabteilung led by kolonel Erich Fellgiebel, decided to buy this machine.
The polish had their own specialized crypto intelligenge unit the BS4 led by colonel Givido Langer. They broke the reichswehr´s code until in 1928 the codes changed and the polish were not able to break the code.
They suspected the code was made by a machine and they knew about the Scherbius machine. By luck the polish discovered that a enigma was sent to the german embassy in warschau with normal post and not with diplomatic post. Even better the package was discovered on a friday so the poles could keep the package in the postoffice for the weekend. That weekend the BS4 investigated the military enigma and discovered that the modification was an electrical circuit for an extra coding system.
By obtaining a civil version (via Sweden) and modification as seen on the official version the poles made their own enigma. In 1934 their work was completed with succes: the polish enigma worked and decoded all the german messages. (except the german naval enigma)

 

That's just not what I read. ???

 

The man in charge of code breaking for the Pacific Fleet was Commander Joseph Rochefort. The man was a genius at his work and inspired his men to give 110% in their work. His reward was to be relieved of his post and assigned to command a floating drydock in the war's backwaters. He had made some enemies among the Navy's hierarchy and they pulled him down just as soon as they could safely do so.

 

That is a excellent way to express thanx.

Did he ever got excuses for this outrageous treating?

 

?????
if the poles break the codes for Enigma by 34, how come the allies have a hard times tring to break it again?

If I can remember well, saw it in the history channel some time ago ,the poles broke the first codes in the openning months of WW II, but then they started to recieve senseless mesages, Enigma codes, and did not manage to break it

 

Here is a good story for you to read in regards to learning from history.
When the Americans broke the Japanese code, just in time for the battle of Midway, they sent out a false bit of information over open or uncoded radio. It was in reference to the island of Midway's water plant being in disrepair. The Japanese then sent this out in their secrete coded radio transmissions, the jig was up when a certain repeated identification code for Midway was used to transpond the intercepted American message.
Ah, now the Americans new the target of the next Imperial Navy attack, the rest is history.

Ok here is how I learned from this event. During a time in the employ of a rather incompetent corporation some of the employees were being singled out for coments of displeasure to management. This being a union shop I brought this to the attention of the union through the Assistant Business Manager, Susan Longva; a real joy. I too was then being harassed by management, aha I now knew who it was but I could not trace who in the union was leaking it to management. So with he help of eight others we gave Susan what she thought was real information, understand she had no clue to us knowing what she was doing, but it was a completely fictional event.
This info then came out in the work place and we observed who got the info from Susan then watched with great amusement as it trickeled down the line to management.
Well we were all brought into the General Manager's office, yes all eight at one time, to be reamed out. Nothing happened because there was no truth to the passed along, 'confidential information'.
When Susan showed up thinking she had secured her personal friends better positions within the industrial shop we all clapped and jeered as she left the building as quick as she could. This was complete and utter humiliation for her and her persoanal friends.

Unfortunately when the Union Business Manager, Jerry Bramhill, found out what we did he was pissed to say the least. Since it was clear the core of the local was rotten I wrote the International Office of the International Union to give a signed, by all eight of us and now five others, accounting of the situation. The Business Manager steeped down before the next union local election, the events were posted as per the brotherhood regs and the rest of the union's memebership became well aware of his miss representing us union memebers.

That's it that's how I learned something sueful about that piece of history.

Cheers!

P.S. please excuse any miss typings, I am a horrible typiest.

 

The germans were developing the enigma machine during the years. This never stopped and the special codes were changed frequently.

The reason the poles and the allies had difficulties to break the german code was because the germans put a fourth rotor in the enigma thus multiplying the million ways of coding. Only with enormous (secret) computers in the bletchley park the code could be found for that moment.

Do remember that every letter was coded on a different way! Plus the coding system was double secured through the electric mechanism wich coded the letters in another way. Also the germans put all kinds of letters through their messages to make it even more difficult.

 

Of course not. It continued after the war ended, in fact. The Navy turned down a request to name a destroyer after Rochefort a few years ago.

 

Routing of convoys

When your reading your enemy's orders, you know where NOT to send your convoys.

 

Re: Routing of convoys

Yes. And that is a vital difference, especially to the crews of those ships and their passengers.

 

I've info about this, but it is in polish language, so i must translate it. My english isn't good, so it will be looong work :smok: .

 

Sokal, do you have some info about the BS4 and what they did?

I'm very interested in the BS4 and don't got so much more info about the Polish efforts.

 

Re: breaking the german and japanese code

Yes, I have heard some rumours of this. Is there any way to post your sources? I would like to read them.

 

My source is The Secret War 1978 Brian Johnson ISBN 90 204 3303 2

 

Hey, take a look!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3754887.stm

 

And what about Code Navajo. It was good code and japanese never solved it.

 

Thanxs for that one, I will see if I can find this source in the used book store. Should be a good yarn.

 

Indeed. It was briilaint to encode messages in a language the Germans and Japanese could not get translated.

 

Cheers!

 

Indeed a great bulk of work concernig breaking Enigma code were made by Poles - Reyewski (Rejewski), Rozycki and Zygalski.
Indeed, after enhancing Enigma in 1938 it was imossible for Poles to read most of messages until 1939 when special device called The Bomb "bomba" was invented. " The bomb" was kind of "prechistoric microprocesor" (it used mechanich movement not electricity) I am mean a "heart" of decrypting machine.
Before Hitlers agression in 1939 Poles sent their knowledge and scientists to UK. It was really a wonderful gift.

It is estimated that without polish contribution allies would break the code about 8 or 12 months later.

What is amazing some of officers and scientists who participated in polish secret "anti Enigma" service where later captured by Germans in Spain. Luckil they managed to mislead german intorrigation officers. It was just a step from revealing the secret how far were the allies with breaking Enigma