Battle of Wits

Archival Summary & Scope

Drawing on millions of recently declassified U.S. and British World War II codebreaking records, Stephen Budiansky's *Battle of Wits* offers an unprecedented history of the war, revealing how intelligence, not brute strength, often determined victory. From the Battle of Midway to the breaking of the last German code in 1945, Budiansky uncovers how Britain sought to monopolize Enigma communications, provides the first detailed explanations of Japanese codebreaking, and describes the intricate mechanics of American machines used to crack Japanese, German, and Russian diplomatic codes. The narrative illuminates codebreaking's crucial impact on critical operations—from neutralizing U-boat attacks and halting Rommel's advance in North Africa to securing the success of D-Day's deception strategy. This is the definitive account of World War II codebreaking.