Lasting Effect

Lasting Effect

While winning a war is never dependent on just one factor, breaking the German Military Enigma code and gathering Ultra intelligence decisively influenced the outcome of WWII. Ultimately, the effects of breaking through the “unbreakable” contributed to shortening the war and saving millions of lives, while proving that no code is truly “unbreakable”.

"The Allies would have won the war anyway - but probably months later, that would mean you would have another 200,000 – 500,000 more people to die in the war"

Personal Interview with Bernd von Kostka, Curator at the Allied Museum in Berlin

"The end of WW2, is celebrated in New York's Time Square" August 15, 1945

Source: smithsonianmag.com

“The intelligence which has emanated from you before and during this campaign has been of priceless value to me. It has simplified my task as a commander enormously. It has saved thousands of British and American lives and, in no small way, contributed to the speed with which the enemy was routed and eventually forced to surrender.”

-General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe

"In this May 7, 1945 file photo, Gen. Alfred Jodl, center, signs the unconditional surrender of all armed German forces imposed by the Allied Powers, at Supreme Commander Eisenhowers headquarters in Rheims, France. He is flanked by Gen. Wilhelm Oxenius, Commander of the German Luftwaffe, left, and General Admiral and Commander in Chief of the German fleet, Hans-Georg von Friedeburg, right."

Source: timesofisreal.com

Another significant result of breaking the Enigma code was that it drove multiple countries to work together on cryptologic developments and intelligence sharing, leading to the signing of the Holden Agreement in 1942, then the Britain-US Agreements (BRUSA) in 1943. The importance of these agreements proved vital to the success of WWII and led to other international intelligence agreements such as the UK-USA Agreement of 1946, providing the basis for modern international cryptological collaboration.

Breaking the Enigma code has lasting implications outside of WWII. The creation and mass production of Bombe machines was the first instance of industrializing cryptology, paving the way for modern companies and cryptologic work. In fact, Crypto AG, the lead supplier of the CIA began making cryptologic equipment like Bombe machines during WWII. It is now one of the foremost suppliers of cryptologic equipment today. 

"It is thanks to the secret weapon of General Menzies, put into use on all the fronts, that we won the war!"

-Winston Churchill

"Australian troops string out behind tanks in a practice advance over North African sands.  The supporting infantry is spread out thinly as a precaution against air raids January 3, 1941​​​​​​​"

Source: theatlantic.com

​​​​​​​Source: the NSA

Excerpt from the UKUSA Agreement

Source: the NSA

Excerpt from the UKUSA Agreement

Source: the NSA

Personal interview with Julian Wagstaff, Playwright of The Turing Test​​​​​​​, speaking on Alan Turing. Photograph source: julianwagstaff.com

Breaking the Enigma code has pushed the world into the digital age of cryptology, proving that mechanical machines were fallible. Modern cryptologic work, the encoding and decoding of messages, has become an essential part of modern life. Virtual Private Networks (VPN's) and other encryption or decryption tools are based upon the fundamental aspects of the Enigma and Bombe machines. The lasting effect of breaking the Enigma code has implications throughout the modern world.

Much of Turing’s work has had a massive influence on technology which has become a pivotal part of modern society. During the war, he made a lot of contributions towards cryptanalysis with new methods to approach codebreaking such as ‘Turingery’. This is still relevant today because cryptography underpins internet security and data protection.

-Personal Interview with Catherine Holden, Historian at Bletchley Park

Personal Interview with Jack Copeland, Director of the Turing Archive

Impact on WWII

Bibliography and Process Paper