What and Enigma!

Fall 1939 – spring 1945. What do this dates say to you? World War II, biggest armed conflagration in the history of man kind. But did you know they had computers back then? Speaking of that,  at the RSA Security Conference in San Francisco, taking place this days, the NSA exposed one of the biggest secrets of the war: the Enigma machine.  

Actually we’re talking about a real one, captured in the conflagration, and not of a well made replica. I agree that’s not exactly top notch technology but it’s amazing how a machine that small had changed the ties of history. Cause, as you know, the Enigma machine was used by the Germans to encode their communication messages. By capturing some of this machines and breaking the codes, the Allies gained a huge tactical advantage over their enemies, making possible operations like the D-Day and others.

The Enigma machine: a relic from the World War II

If you take a look at this picture above, you will notice a wood box that houses a very advanced machinery, at least for that years. I can’t explain the working mechanism, but if you’re interested, have a look here. Anyway, if you’re anywhere nearby San Francisco, you should definitely have a look at this, as so few and so rarely are exhibited for the public.

Source: Crave