The Voynich Manuscript - An Elegant Enigma

The Voynich manuscript, often dubbed “the world’s most mysterious manuscript,” is a remarkable conglomeration, written in an unknown script and language and profusely illustrated with carefully rendered images of unidentified plants, enigmatic astronomical drawings, and puzzling human figures. Known to have existed since the late 16th century, when it was owned by the physician of that most enigmatic of rulers, the Emperor Rudolf II of Austria, it has been labeled variously as a magical manual, a herbarium, and a hoax. Both scholarly researchers and individual enthusiasts have linked this remarkable document to the Hermetic tradition, astrology, demonic and angelic magic, alchemy, the Cabala, and the history of Hindu-Arabic numerals. Many believe that it is an enormous –  and so far indecipherable –  book code within which the secrets of one or more of these subjects are concealed. "The Voynich Manuscript: An Elegant Enigma" provides a careful examination of this last hypothesis while also touching upon the myriad other possibilities raised by previous researchers. It gives a brief history of this mysterious work and a detailed discussion of the many unsuccessful attempts to crack the presumed code or cipher, or at least discover whether it is written in a natural or artificial language.  This fascinating study from the U.S. National Security Agency also raises the possibility, suggested more frequently in recent years, that the Voynich manuscript is a hoax. It concludes that, if so, the hoaxer must have labored for many years to create it – surely too much effort for very little known return. Also, given the penchant of early modern scientists and philosophers to disguise their researches through the use of symbols and allegory, its obscurity is not unprecedented, although obviously extreme.  Whether a hoax, a cipher, or a key to the infinite, this account of the Voynich manuscript and the efforts to probe its true meaning tells a great true story that rivals any bestselling novel. Scholars, puzzle solvers, and anyone interested in historical mysteries will find much to ponder in this indispensable study.

History

D'Imperio, M.E.

Center for Cryptologic History

Military

Military Bookshop

With the onset of World War II, the American organizations responsible for the vital wartime function of communications intelligence (COMINT) were forced to change drastically. In addition to the daunting challenges of rapid operational expansion, the peacetime processes of U.S. Army and Navy COMINT proved inadequate to support active military operations on a worldwide scale.  With national survival and individual lives at stake, more information, and its timely dissemination to both U.S. forces and those of its close ally, the United Kingdom, quickly became a top priority. "A History of U.S. Communications Intelligence during World War II: Policy and Administration" tells the story of the profound organizational changes wrought on U.S. COMINT by rapid expansion, urgent requirements for information, and international agreements. While the services never completely solved the problems posed by these challenges, by war's end they had created structures and implemented policies which, however cumbersome, achieved high levels of combat support. After covering the initial year of expansion, this study examines such issues as: The Army-British COMINT agreement of 1943 and the ENIGMA crisis; British-U.S. Navy COMINT agreements in 1943 and 1944; Jurisdictional problems regarding clandestine communications; Army and Navy movement to full cooperation, 1944-1945; Internal organizational developments in the Army and Navy. In addition to this comprehensive cover of organizational issues, "A History of U.S. Communications Intelligence during World War II" also sheds new light on the U.S.-UK controversy over U.S. denial of Alan Turing's access to scrambler technology developed at Bell Labs, conflicts between the Director of Naval Intelligence and J. Edgar Hoover's FBI over sharing intelligence information, and the tension between Army and Navy COMINT and the OSS, which had its own methods of obtaining data from British intelligence sources. Scholars and intelligence professionals alike will find much of value in this detailed and copiously documented study.

A History of US Communications Intelligence during WWII: Policy and Administration

Benson, Robert Louis

The Quest for Cryptological Centralization and the Establishment of NSA: 1940-1952

Burns, Thomas L

Identifies and presents a thorough account of German intelligence organizations engaged in clandestine work in South America, and a well researched, detailed report of the U.S. response to the perceived threat. This perception was, as Mr. Mowry alludes to in his conclusions, far greater than any actual danger.

Cryptologic Aspects of German Intelligence Activities in South America During World War II

National Security Agency

Mowry, David P.

Learning from the Enemy: The Gunman Project

Maneki, Sharon A.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Center for Cryptologic History. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Center for Cryptologic History