Looking for more book recommendations here. General topic I'm interested in is WWII codebreaking & espionage. A lot has been said about enigma, Turing, etc, so I guess those will do, but I've read a good amount in this area already. I've read a small amount about the US efforts to break the Japanese codes, including the reverse engineering of the Purple code machine, but I'd still be open to more in this theater. I'd really like to learn more about German vs Russian codebreaking and/or espionage, though these areas aren't as well covered. Oh, and I'm very happy to get something that is a technical deep dive, so don't hold back those recommendations if you have them.
While not exactly code breaking, in the same vein, and likely of interest would be Alfred Price's It focuses on a lot of the same topics that would be covered in code breaking like how the Allies got the messages to begin with, figuring out what the enemy was doing with electronics like radar and radio, etc.
Try this. Smith also wrote a book called "Station X" about Bletchley Park and code breaking. I've not read it so I can't give further details.
Lou sent me a book ,that I recently passed on to a library, It was along this vein : DONOVAN'S DEVILS: OSS Commandos Behind Enemy Lines--Europe, World War II - HamiltonBook.com. Or this : https://www.cia.gov/stories/story/the-legend-of-wild-bill-how-donovan-got-his-nickname/ And you might try this: The women codebreakers of World War II
Lots of good enigma suggestions. I've consumed a good amount on enigma over the years so hopefully looking for fresh non-enigma areas in which to dive. @OpanaPointer I appreciate the pointer, though I'm aware of the enigma books on HyperWar, (for obvious reasons). Thanks all, keep them coming.
Try these, old boy. Got the first two. MI5: British Security Service Operations 1909-1945 by Nigel West Amazon.com The Secret Wireless War by Geoffrey Pidgeon Amazon.com Radio War: The Secret Espionage War of the Radio Security Service 1938-1946 by David Abrutat Amazon.com
Some sites you might peruse: Vint Hill Farms Station: Cold War History in DC’s Backyard Vint Hill Farms Station: Cold War History in Washington, DC’s Backyard (roadunraveled.com) Vint Hill Farms Station Historic District 030-0020 (virginia.gov) VINT_HILL_FARMS_STATION.PDF (defense.gov) Military Intelligence --this week in history. 15 October 1946 Military Intelligence --this week in history. 15 October 1946 | Article | The United States Army Vint Hill was something of an equivalent to the British Benchley Park in that it encompassed the US school for code breakers and analysts during, and after WW 2, as well as an operating station for actual ongoing efforts for the war.
The equivalent code breaking station on the US West Coast for the Pacific theater is Two Rock Ranch Station Two Rock Ranch Station and Medical Dispensary Two Rock, California (mstecker.com) Two Rock Ranch Two Rock Ranch – Army Security Agency Veterans.net Today it is a Coast Guard training base Historic California Posts, Camps, Stations and Airfields Coast Guard Training Center, Petaluma (Two Rock Ranch Station) Historic California Stations: Coast Guard Training Center Petaluma (Two Rock Ranch Station) (militarymuseum.org)
I'd recommend "The Codebreakers" by David Kahn for a comprehensive and technical deep dive into WWII espionage!
Good call. Also: Secret Allies in the Pacific: Covert Intelligence and Code-Breaking Cooperation Between the United States, Great Britain, and Other Nations Prior to the Attack on Pearl Harbor