Episode 8 (Part 2): The Classified Code-Breakers of World War II

Campfire Stories: Astonishing History

Come gather around the campfire and let me tell you a story about some of the smartest military teams you've never heard of. Today we’re going to be talking about the code-breakers of World War II. Part 1 discussed Native American code-talkers. Part 2 will discuss Allied code-cracking teams including the stories of the Enigma, Alan Turing, Marian Rejewski, Elizabeth Friedman, and the Venona project.
Most code-breaking departments of the time started with a few civilian staff members, including mathematicians, college students, and even a high school principal. How did these rag-tag teams turn into massive agencies? Who were these geniuses, many of whom never got the chance to discuss their heroic work during their lifetimes? How did these teams crack the most infamous Nazi code machine of all time, the Enigma? In the end, Allied code-crackers may have shortened World War II by as much as two years, potentially saving millions of lives. Come hear about how they did it.
**This episode includes sensitive content (CW: death, war, suicide, antisemitism, homophobia). Listener discretion is advised.**
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Music by: Zoliborz

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