The Secret Life of an American Codebreaker: Codebreaker Girls
"...a welcome addition to the seldom told story of the role of American women in the World War II codebreaking effort." — The Spectrum Monitor

The Secret Life of an American Codebreaker is the true account of Janice Martin, a college student recruited to the military in 1943, after she was secretly approached by a college professor at Goucher College, a liberal arts establishment for women in Baltimore, USA. Destined for a teaching career, Janice became a prestigious professor of classics at Georgia State University, but how did she spend three years of her secret life during the war working in Washington D.C.’s Top Secret Intelligence?

Why was she chosen? How was she chosen? What did she do? Questions everyone asks are answered in this study of not just one but several Second World War codebreakers, male and female.

Backed by extensive research, unpublished photographs and recorded interviews, we discover the life of Janice Martin from Baltimore and her Top Secret Ultra role in helping to combat U-boats in the Battle of the Atlantic; the work she and her colleagues undertook in a foundation provided by both British and American Intelligence. From ‘the early days’ to D-Day and beyond, the book includes other hidden figures who were part of this huge wheel of an incredible time in history.
"1140074707"
The Secret Life of an American Codebreaker: Codebreaker Girls
"...a welcome addition to the seldom told story of the role of American women in the World War II codebreaking effort." — The Spectrum Monitor

The Secret Life of an American Codebreaker is the true account of Janice Martin, a college student recruited to the military in 1943, after she was secretly approached by a college professor at Goucher College, a liberal arts establishment for women in Baltimore, USA. Destined for a teaching career, Janice became a prestigious professor of classics at Georgia State University, but how did she spend three years of her secret life during the war working in Washington D.C.’s Top Secret Intelligence?

Why was she chosen? How was she chosen? What did she do? Questions everyone asks are answered in this study of not just one but several Second World War codebreakers, male and female.

Backed by extensive research, unpublished photographs and recorded interviews, we discover the life of Janice Martin from Baltimore and her Top Secret Ultra role in helping to combat U-boats in the Battle of the Atlantic; the work she and her colleagues undertook in a foundation provided by both British and American Intelligence. From ‘the early days’ to D-Day and beyond, the book includes other hidden figures who were part of this huge wheel of an incredible time in history.
34.95 In Stock
The Secret Life of an American Codebreaker: Codebreaker Girls

The Secret Life of an American Codebreaker: Codebreaker Girls

The Secret Life of an American Codebreaker: Codebreaker Girls

The Secret Life of an American Codebreaker: Codebreaker Girls

Hardcover

$34.95 
  • SHIP THIS ITEM
    Qualifies for Free Shipping
  • PICK UP IN STORE
    Check Availability at Nearby Stores

Related collections and offers


Overview

"...a welcome addition to the seldom told story of the role of American women in the World War II codebreaking effort." — The Spectrum Monitor

The Secret Life of an American Codebreaker is the true account of Janice Martin, a college student recruited to the military in 1943, after she was secretly approached by a college professor at Goucher College, a liberal arts establishment for women in Baltimore, USA. Destined for a teaching career, Janice became a prestigious professor of classics at Georgia State University, but how did she spend three years of her secret life during the war working in Washington D.C.’s Top Secret Intelligence?

Why was she chosen? How was she chosen? What did she do? Questions everyone asks are answered in this study of not just one but several Second World War codebreakers, male and female.

Backed by extensive research, unpublished photographs and recorded interviews, we discover the life of Janice Martin from Baltimore and her Top Secret Ultra role in helping to combat U-boats in the Battle of the Atlantic; the work she and her colleagues undertook in a foundation provided by both British and American Intelligence. From ‘the early days’ to D-Day and beyond, the book includes other hidden figures who were part of this huge wheel of an incredible time in history.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781526784155
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Publication date: 03/10/2022
Pages: 304
Product dimensions: 6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x (d)

About the Author

Jan Slimming is a publishing professional with a former career in London’s educational and international publishing industry before moving to America with her husband and young family. This is her first book. As Director of three companies, she has also chaired committees and fund-raising initiatives in aid of children’s education, before delving into historical research. Jan was six when she first heard of Bletchley Park, but it was decades later that she was compelled to research and write about this little-known part of her mother’s life. Jan is a member of the Atlanta Writers Club (Established 1914), and an active member of her community both in local events and WWII matters, with her twin sister, with whom she also writes. Jan has first-class qualifications from the Royal Society of Arts in English, Business and Publishing from Wimbledon College and the University of the Arts London (formerly London College of Printing and Graphic Arts). She lives in Atlanta with her husband and growing family.

Table of Contents

Foreword Paul Reid vii

Prologue ix

Introduction x

Chapter 1 Baltimore 1923 1

Chapter 2 Trouble in Europe 7

Chapter 3 War UK 12

Chapter 4 America Inches Forward 17

Chapter 5 A Junior in College 26

Chapter 6 War USA 35

Chapter 7 Chosen 40

Chapter 8 A Brief History of American Codebreaking 48

Chapter 9 Codebreaking in America 54

Chapter 10 Women in Codebreaking 66

Chapter 11 Signals, Operators, Poppies and WACs 81

Chapter 12 WAVES 92

Chapter 13 Going to the Chapel 99

Chapter 14 Battle of the Atlantic 104

Chapter 15 Working in Nooks and Crannies 117

Chapter 16 Handling Top Secret Intelligence 127

Chapter 17 Bombe Machines, German Codebreaking and ULTRA 136

Chapter 18 Japanese Codebreaking 160

Chapter 19 The Workings of Secret Codebreaking 188

Chapter 20 Alien Codes? 206

Chapter 21 D-Day 213

Chapter 22 Final Battles 221

Chapter 23 War's End in Europe 229

Chapter 24 Waiting for VJ Day 237

Chapter 25 Aftermath 243

Epilogue 251

Afterword 255

Memorial Day 2021 260

Acknowledgements 262

Abbreviations 264

American Personnel at Bletchley Park 267

Endnotes 269

Index 283

From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews