fbpx
Wikipedia

World War I cryptography

April 12, 2024

With the rise of easily-intercepted wireless telegraphy, codes and ciphers were used extensively in World War I. The decoding by British Naval intelligence of the Zimmermann telegram helped bring the United States into the war.

Trench codes were used by field armies of most of the combatants (Americans, British, French, German) in World War I.[1]

The most commonly used codes were simple substitution ciphers. More important messages generally used mathematical encryption for extra security. The use of these codes required the distribution of codebooks to military personnel, which proved to be a security liability since these books could be stolen by enemy forces.[2]

Britain edit

 
Zimmermann telegram as decoded by Room 40

British decrypting was carried out in Room 40 by the Royal Navy and in MI1 by British Military (Army) Intelligence.

Russia edit

  • In the 1914 Battle of Tannenberg, different corps of the Russian Imperial army were unable to decipher each others messages, so they sent them in plain text. They were easily intercepted. Meanwhile, German cryptanalysts were also able to read the enciphered ones. [3]
  • Ernst Fetterlein was in the Tsarist Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1896 and solved (among others) German, Austrian and British codes. He became chief cryptographer with the rank of admiral. With the Russian Revolution in 1917 he fled to Britain and was recruited to Room 40 in June 1918 to work on Austrian, Bolshevik and Georgian codes.
  • The Russians used an overcomplicated version of the Vigenère Cipher. It was broken within three days by Austro-Hungarian cryptanalyst Hermann Pokorny.

France edit

The French Army employed Georges Painvin, and Étienne Bazeries who came out of retirement, on German ciphers. Due to their prewar activities, the French were more prepared than any other nation involved in the war to decode German radiograms. At the beginning of the war, France had eight intercept stations: Maubeuge, Verdun, Toul, Epinal, Belfort, Lille, Rheims, and Besançon. During the war, they set up many more stations, including one in the Eiffel Tower. According to Colonel Cartier of the War Ministry, France intercepted over 100,000,000 words from German radiograms during the course of the war.[4]

Germany and Austria-Hungary edit

The Imperial German Army and the Austro-Hungarian Army intercepted Russian radio communications traffic, although German success at the Battle of Tannenberg (1914) was due to interception of messages between the Imperial Russian Army commanders in cleartext.

The German Abhorchdienst, a code-breaking bureau composed mainly of mathematicians, was established in 1916.

The Germans had specific regulations regarding which kinds of codes and ciphers could be used under given circumstances. Within three kilometers of the front lines, known as the danger zone, all communications were required to be in a code known as the three-number code. This was the only code or cipher permitted. Behind this danger zone, another code known as the three-letter code was allowed to be used. Communications between divisions, corps, and army headquarters were done with the ADFGVX cipher.[5]

The ADFGX and ADFGVX field ciphers were a modified polybius system with single order double columnar transposition and frequent key change, with letters optimized for Morse. It was later broken by the famous French cryptanalyst Georges Painvin. The breaking of the ADFGX cipher by Painvin was the second time during the war that cryptanalysis played a major role in shaping events (the first being the interception and cracking of the Zimmerman Telegram). By breaking the cipher, the French were able to decode an intercepted message about the forwarding of munitions for a German offensive, letting the French know where and when the offensive would occur, and thus allowing them to stop it. This message became known as "The Radiogram of Victory."[6]

United States edit

Herbert Yardley began as a code clerk in the State Department. After the outbreak of war he became the head of the cryptographic section of Military Intelligence Section (MI-8)[7] and was with the American Expeditionary Force in World War I as a Signals Corps cryptologic officer in France. He later headed the Cipher Bureau, a new cryptanalysis group started in 1919, immediately after World War I, and funded jointly by the State Department and the US Army.

Some American cryptography in World War I was done at the Riverbank Laboratories, Chicago, which was privately owned by Colonel George Fabyan. Elizebeth Friedman, William F. Friedman and Agnes Meyer Driscoll worked there.

The US Navy used the cryptographic code A-1. The US Navy cryptanalysis group, OP-20-G, was also started after World War I (in 1922).

The US also started employing Indian code talkers in World War I, initially with members of the Cherokee and Choctaw tribes.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Walker, Julian (2014-07-23). "Trench talk: a guide to first world war slang". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-04-17.
  2. ^ Lerner, Adrienne. "World War I". Espionage Information: Encyclopedia of Espionage, Intelligence, and Security. Advameg, Inc. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  3. ^ Flicke, Wilhelm. "The Beginnings of Radio Intercept in World War I" (PDF). National Security Agency.
  4. ^ Kahn, David (1967). The Codebreakers. Scribner.
  5. ^ Friedman, William (1977). Solving German Codes in World War I. Aegean Park Press.
  6. ^ Kahn, David (1982). "In Memoriam: Georges-Jean Painvain". Cryptologia. 6 (2): 120–127. doi:10.1080/0161-118291856939.
  7. ^ Kahn, David (1996). The Codebreakers: the Story of Secret Writing. New York: Scribner. p. 352. ISBN 0-684-83130-9.

External links edit

April 12, 2024
world, cryptography, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, 2011, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources World War I cryptography news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2011 Learn how and when to remove this template message With the rise of easily intercepted wireless telegraphy codes and ciphers were used extensively in World War I The decoding by British Naval intelligence of the Zimmermann telegram helped bring the United States into the war Trench codes were used by field armies of most of the combatants Americans British French German in World War I 1 The most commonly used codes were simple substitution ciphers More important messages generally used mathematical encryption for extra security The use of these codes required the distribution of codebooks to military personnel which proved to be a security liability since these books could be stolen by enemy forces 2 Contents 1 Britain 2 Russia 3 France 4 Germany and Austria Hungary 5 United States 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksBritain edit nbsp Zimmermann telegram as decoded by Room 40British decrypting was carried out in Room 40 by the Royal Navy and in MI1 by British Military Army Intelligence Zimmermann telegram Arthur Zimmermann MI1 British Military Army Intelligence Room 40 Royal Navy Britain Alastair Denniston Room 40 James Alfred Ewing Room 40 first head Nigel de Grey Room 40 William R Hall Blinker Hall Room 40 second head Malcolm Vivian Hay MI1 b head from 1915 Dilly Knox Room 40 Oliver Strachey MI1 William Montgomery cryptographer Room 40 Playfair cipherRussia editIn the 1914 Battle of Tannenberg different corps of the Russian Imperial army were unable to decipher each others messages so they sent them in plain text They were easily intercepted Meanwhile German cryptanalysts were also able to read the enciphered ones 3 Ernst Fetterlein was in the Tsarist Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1896 and solved among others German Austrian and British codes He became chief cryptographer with the rank of admiral With the Russian Revolution in 1917 he fled to Britain and was recruited to Room 40 in June 1918 to work on Austrian Bolshevik and Georgian codes The Russians used an overcomplicated version of the Vigenere Cipher It was broken within three days by Austro Hungarian cryptanalyst Hermann Pokorny France editThe French Army employed Georges Painvin and Etienne Bazeries who came out of retirement on German ciphers Due to their prewar activities the French were more prepared than any other nation involved in the war to decode German radiograms At the beginning of the war France had eight intercept stations Maubeuge Verdun Toul Epinal Belfort Lille Rheims and Besancon During the war they set up many more stations including one in the Eiffel Tower According to Colonel Cartier of the War Ministry France intercepted over 100 000 000 words from German radiograms during the course of the war 4 The Tableau de Concordance was the main French diplomatic cipher Germany and Austria Hungary editThe Imperial German Army and the Austro Hungarian Army intercepted Russian radio communications traffic although German success at the Battle of Tannenberg 1914 was due to interception of messages between the Imperial Russian Army commanders in cleartext The German Abhorchdienst a code breaking bureau composed mainly of mathematicians was established in 1916 The Germans had specific regulations regarding which kinds of codes and ciphers could be used under given circumstances Within three kilometers of the front lines known as the danger zone all communications were required to be in a code known as the three number code This was the only code or cipher permitted Behind this danger zone another code known as the three letter code was allowed to be used Communications between divisions corps and army headquarters were done with the ADFGVX cipher 5 The ADFGX and ADFGVX field ciphers were a modified polybius system with single order double columnar transposition and frequent key change with letters optimized for Morse It was later broken by the famous French cryptanalyst Georges Painvin The breaking of the ADFGX cipher by Painvin was the second time during the war that cryptanalysis played a major role in shaping events the first being the interception and cracking of the Zimmerman Telegram By breaking the cipher the French were able to decode an intercepted message about the forwarding of munitions for a German offensive letting the French know where and when the offensive would occur and thus allowing them to stop it This message became known as The Radiogram of Victory 6 United States editHerbert Yardley began as a code clerk in the State Department After the outbreak of war he became the head of the cryptographic section of Military Intelligence Section MI 8 7 and was with the American Expeditionary Force in World War I as a Signals Corps cryptologic officer in France He later headed the Cipher Bureau a new cryptanalysis group started in 1919 immediately after World War I and funded jointly by the State Department and the US Army Some American cryptography in World War I was done at the Riverbank Laboratories Chicago which was privately owned by Colonel George Fabyan Elizebeth Friedman William F Friedman and Agnes Meyer Driscoll worked there The US Navy used the cryptographic code A 1 The US Navy cryptanalysis group OP 20 G was also started after World War I in 1922 The US also started employing Indian code talkers in World War I initially with members of the Cherokee and Choctaw tribes See also editWorld War I Cryptography History of cryptography World War II cryptographyReferences edit Walker Julian 2014 07 23 Trench talk a guide to first world war slang The Guardian ISSN 0261 3077 Retrieved 2019 04 17 Lerner Adrienne World War I Espionage Information Encyclopedia of Espionage Intelligence and Security Advameg Inc Retrieved 27 March 2015 Flicke Wilhelm The Beginnings of Radio Intercept in World War I PDF National Security Agency Kahn David 1967 The Codebreakers Scribner Friedman William 1977 Solving German Codes in World War I Aegean Park Press Kahn David 1982 In Memoriam Georges Jean Painvain Cryptologia 6 2 120 127 doi 10 1080 0161 118291856939 Kahn David 1996 The Codebreakers the Story of Secret Writing New York Scribner p 352 ISBN 0 684 83130 9 External links editOnline books and library resources in your library and in other libraries about World War I cryptography Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title World War I cryptography amp oldid 1206149446, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.