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Codebreaking in World Wars I and II: the major successes and failures, their causes and their effects*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

David Kahn
Affiliation:
Great Neck, New York

Extract

The story of signals intelligence begins in the days of the pharaohs. A letter records the intention of a foreigner to determine the meaning of fires raised by the Egyptians. (No one knows if he succeeded.) Several centuries later, in 207 B.C., the Romans intercepted a letter from Hasdrubal to his brother Hannibal, further south in Italy. It enabled the Romans to concentrate their forces at the Metaurus River to defeat the Carthaginians. This was the only battle in Edward S. Creasy's The fifteen decisive battles of the world: from Marathon to Waterloo that depended upon intelligence for its victory.

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Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1980

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