The british and russians had captured german naval code books in 1914. But many previously secret documents have been opened at the national archives in kew, west london, including several on the zimmermann telegram and on the secretive mi1b. Granted it was first published in 1983, but it turns conventioal history on its head. Serocold signal sinking st georges channel stations submarines sunk supply tion torpedo uboats vessels warning wilson wireless world zimmermann telegram. We intend to begin on the first of february unrestricted submarine warfare. In the middle of wwi, german foreign minister zimmermann worried about how to keep america occupied on our side of the atlantic and out of the allied camp sent a telegram instructing his mexican envoy to propose an alliance between mexico, japan and germany. British decrypting was carried out in room 40 by the royal navy and in mi1 by british military army intelligence. At just this moment, a crack team of british decoders in a quiet office known as room 40 intercepted a document that would change history. Britain knew that all was lost unless the united states joined the war, but president wilson was unshakable in his. Zimmermann telegram as decoded by room 40 all british ships were under instructions to use radio as sparingly as possible and to use the lowest practical transmission power. It was derived from the ordinary fleet signal books used by both british and german navies, which had. Recounts world war i intelligence operations of the british, shows how broken german codes were used to help control the shipping lanes, and identifies the events in which naval intelligence played a key role.
Odhams press, 1939, v, kindle edition, location 7846 out of 9432. The use of these codes required the distribution of codebooks to military personnel, which proved to be a security liability since these books could be stolen by enemy forces. This article presents the original draft of the zimmermann telegram from 1917 in facsimile. The secret history of the zimmermann telegram history. In january 1917, with the first world war locked in terrible stalemate and america still neutral, german.
The zimmermann telegram was a topsecret message to. Zimmermann had given room 40 the lever with which to move the united states. However its most important contribution was probably in decrypting the zimmermann. British naval intelligence 191418 beesly, patrick on. So, when the zimmermann telegram was sent, room 40 intercepted, decoded, and translated itand then stood around it with their mouths hanging open at its totally unbelievable contents. The simplicity of american codes and cyphers enabled the british code breakers of room 40 to break them. At just this moment, a crack team of british decoders in a quiet office known as room 40. In this book, patrick beesly, a veteran of the naval intelligence division of the british admiralty, tells the story of room 40 the office of british naval intelligence during world war i.
World war i cryptography wikimili, the free encyclopedia. Jan 24, 2009 there are two books that are well worth reading on the workings of british naval intelligence. Barbara tuchmans the zimmerman telegram is one of the greatest spy stories of all time nothing can stop an enemy from picking wireless messages out of the free air and nothing did. It profiles the german diplomatic corps, the infighting in the german government during world war i, and how british intelligence obtained the telegram and gave it to the americans.
They proceeded to send the message to the united states, and from there woodrow wilson released it to the press in the following months. The zimmermann telegram was a topsecret message to the president of mexico. The zimmermann telegram was intercepted and decoded by the british cryptographers of room 40. Introduction no single event decided the outcome of the first world war 19141918. Zimmermann telegram episode, ewing left room 40 as active technical. Britain knew that all was lost unless the united states joined the war, but president wilson was unshakable in his neutrality. In january 1917, with the first world war locked in terrible stalemate and america still neutral, german foreign secretary arthur zimmerman gambled the future of the conflict on a single telegram.
Almost immediately, officials in the british government wanted to use the zimmermann telegram to get the americans into the war against germany. In february 1917 the boffins of room 40 were to play a significant role in influencing the final outcome of the war when they successfully decoded the zimmerman telegram in which the german government had sought to encourage mexico to attack the united states, a key moment in us president woodrow wilsons decision to enter hostilities. The revelation of its contents in the american press on march 1 caused public outrage that contributed to the united states declaration of war against germany on april 1. Most notably the section intercepted and decoded the zimmermann telegram, a secret diplomatic communication issued. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. The astounding amount of cryptographic work carried out by room 40 resulted in a significant impact in the. Room 40 was a british cryptoanalysis project that intercepted the zimmermann telegram and decoded it. Intercepted by the british, the note revealed a plan to renew unrestricted submarine warfare and to form an alliance with mexico and japan if the u. The zimmermann telegram was a topsecret message to the president of mexico, inviting him to join germany and japan in. The zimmermann telegram or zimmermann note was an internal diplomatic communication issued from the german foreign office in january, 1917 that proposed a military alliance between germany and mexico in the event of the united states entering world war i against germany.
They wasted no time in interrupting germanys communications. Tuchmans classic histories of the first world war era in january 1917, the war in europe was, at best, a tragic standoff. Barbara tuchmans the zimmerman telegram is one of the greatest spy stories of all time. In 1917 the germans were planning to unleash a u boat campaign in the atlantic to sink all suspect shipping at. They formed the nucleus of the british admiraltys codebreaking organization known as room 40. The zimmermann telegram or zimmermann note or zimmerman cable was a secret diplomatic communication issued from the german foreign office in january 1917 that proposed a military alliance between germany and mexico. Jan 01, 2007 this article presents the original draft of the zimmermann telegram from 1917 in facsimile. Despite several vital documents passing through it both the zimmermann telegram and the notice that the german fleet had sailed just prior to the battle of jutland, there are many mysterious elements about room 40. His room 40 cryptographers had intercepted zimmermanns telegram to bernstorff, but knowing they would have to admit to having spied on american diplomatic traffic, he was unprepared to reveal. If the united states entered world war i against germany, mexico would recover texas, arizona, and new mexico.
Keywords codebook, cryptanalysis, first world war, room 40, zimmermann telegram 1. Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features. Room 40 had benefited greatly from the free chatter between german ships, which gave them many routine messages to compare and analyse, and from the german habit of transmitting at full power, making the messages easier to receive. The history press room 40s brilliant world war i codebreakers. All the while, room 40 read all this traffic, unbeknownst to the united states german messages along with american cables. There are two books that are well worth reading on the workings of british naval intelligence. Zimmermann telegram, coded message sent january 16, 1917, by german foreign secretary arthur zimmermann to the german minister in mexico.
In the quarter of a century since then, little new material has been published on room 40. The zimmermann telegram and room 40 history of government. Churchill, the world crisis, 19111918, 5 vols london. Nothing can stop an enemy from picking wireless messages out of the free air and nothing did.
The british room 40 are the protagonists of the book, but not this book goes into voluminous detail about what led to the decision to send the telegram. Britain knew that all was lost unless the united states joined the war, but president wilson was unshakable. Nov 20, 2012 all the while, room 40 read all this traffic, unbeknownst to the united states german messages along with american cables. Two really hardcore daredevil things happened that allowed room 40 to decipher zimmermann s message to mexico. Buy a cheap copy of the zimmermann telegram book by barbara w. The story of the zimmermann telegram is a gem of history that literally is a ripping good yarn.
Anyone interested in ww 1 naval warfare must have this. Thus, the intercept of the zimmermann telegram, with its explosive. Of all the books touching on the zimmermann telegram of jan 1917, tuchmans 1958 treatment best and completely explains the explosive nature of this enciphered communication to mexico inviting it along with japan to join germany in waging war on the united states. There are separate chapters devoted to significant subjects such as the zimmermann telegram, the lusitania incident, and the battle of jutland skaggerak. Drawing upon hitherto unpublished material, he sheds new light on such events as the abortive dardanelles campaign, the battle of jutland, the irish easter rising of 1916, the zimmerman telegram affair, and the defeat of the german uboats. Its various annotations provide interesting insights, such as the idea to promise california to japan and instructions concerning transmission and encryption. In the middle of wwi, german foreign minister zimmermann worried about how to keep america occupied on our side of the atlantic and out of the allied camp sent a telegram instructing his mexican envoy to propose an alliance between mexico, japan and. Old building officially part of nid25 was the cryptanalysis. Two really hardcore daredevil things happened that allowed room 40 to decipher zimmermanns message to mexico.
There are separate chapters devoted to significant subjects such as the zimmermann telegram, the lusitania incident, and. Mahan wrote about in his famous book, the influence of sea power 0n. The book also discusses the political and diplomatic information that was obtained from decoding german foreign ministry radio transmissions to their overseas embassies and consulates. The admiraltys codebreaking office, known as room 40, were well versed in cracking a whole variety of codes.
On january 17, 1917, british code breakers in room 40, the cryptoanalysis office of great britains naval intelligence, intercepted a telegram from germany. Oh yeah, the guys in room 40 decrypted the zimmermann telegram among lots of other messages that the germans were sending secret messages, they incorrectly assumed during the war. Zimmermann had encrypted the telegram, and assumed that the german codes were strong enough to protect his message, but he underestimated the skills of the british codebreakers, who immediately set to work deciphering the telegram. How codebreakers in britains crack room 40 team brought. The zimmermann telegram by barbara tuchman overdrive. They also had a copy of the german diplomatic code book that was captured when wilhelm wassmuss, a german agent in persia, was forced to flee without his baggage. The telegram was first sent from berlin to washington on january 16 using the u. Apr 06, 2017 paul halpern comments that room 40 would not reach its peak of efficiency and become a true intelligence centre until much later in the war. We shall endeavor in spite of this to keep the united states of america neutral. Some key facts relating to its operation were forgotten or not clearly recorded. Codebreakers in the royal navys room 40 team who paved the way for the famous bletchley park team cracked the zimmermann telegram that brought the us into the first world war. You may have heard a little of room 40 ob in passing, but this indepth story exceeds all expectations and demands a rewritemajor rethink of every ww1 naval history that preceeded publicaton of this work. Old building officially part of nid25 was the cryptanalysis section of the british admiralty during the first world war the group, which was formed in october 1914, began when rearadmiral henry oliver, the director of naval intelligence, gave intercepts from the german radio station at nauen, near berlin, to director of naval education alfred ewing, who. The proposal was intercepted and decoded by british intelligence.
Room 40 played an important role in several naval engagements during the war, notably in detecting major german sorties into the north sea that led to the battles of dogger bank and jutland as the british fleet was sent out to intercept them. Pdf download the zimmermann telegram free unquote books. Zimmermann telegram download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. The proud tower, the pulitzer prizewinning the guns of august, and the zimmermann telegram comprise barbara w. Mexico was both americas chief foreign investment area and chief trouble spot, where twice in the last three years american troops had gone in shooting and where, at that moment, twelve thousand men under general pershing were deeply engaged. The zimmermann telegram was a topsecret message to the president of mexico, inviting him to join germany and japan in an invasion of the united states. A century after the infamous zimmermann telegram was made public, take a. Apr 24, 20 british naval cryptographers in room 40.