The Zimmermann Telegram: How British Codebreaking Changed World War I
By
tony-allan
Baker's choice. Dense with flavour, light on filler.
Summary
The article recounts the historical codebreaking operation by British intelligence during World War I to intercept and decrypt the Zimmermann Telegram, a secret German diplomatic message that proposed a military alliance with Mexico against the United States. The narrative focuses on the British efforts to break the German codes, the political challenges of convincing the Americans of the telegram's authenticity without revealing their codebreaking capabilities, and how this intelligence coup helped bring the United States into World War I.
Key quotes
· 5 pulledJust over one hundred years ago, the British carried out one of the most audacious acts in the history of codebreaking.
So audacious, in fact, that they had to convince the Americans they hadn't done it at all...
The AdmiraltyRunning, Lieutenant Nigel De Grey decided as he narrowly avoided colliding with another paper-laden trolley, was not something that the corridors of the Admiralty Old Building had been designed for.
Nor was it something that the Royal Navy approved of from its junior officers, apparently.
This was clear from the angry shouts of the people he dodged as he raced down the building...
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