Seizing the Enigma

September 15, 1995
Although most soldiers in modern war never see combat, those who do rely on the various rear-echelon support troops. In this title Kahn documents how one branch (intelligence) shaped the course of World War II. We learn how the Poles provided the French and the British with the ability to break the various German codes. After the start of the war, a series of fortuitous events as well as hard work enabled the British (and later, the Americans) to break the German Naval Code, which used the famous "Enigma" cipher machine. Narrator Bernard Mayes's reading is good, but his German could be better. Blackstone has produced a work up to its usual high standards. This fascinating story shows that no matter how advanced the technology, the human factor will always be decisive. For popular collections.--Michael T. Fein, Catawba Valley Community Coll., Hickory, N.C.