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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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Code Girls summary
Liza Mundy
The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II
27 mins
Brief summary
Code Girls by Liza Mundy sheds light on the untold story of women codebreakers during WWII. The book portrays how their hard work and intelligence contributed to the war's end by intercepting and decrypting enemy communications.
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Code Girls
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Key idea 1 of 9
Cryptography bureaus often took on female workers because of the work’s grueling nature.
Cryptography, or code making, is as old as human communication itself. It dates back to some early point in time when a person first wanted to say something that not everyone was supposed to know.
Naturally, making codes is particularly useful in times of war. During the Civil War, for example, the Confederates devised a cryptographic system so complex that it confused even them.
In the early 1920s, however, American code breaking lagged behind that of countries such as France and England. In 1928, the US secretary of state even shut down military intelligence’s modest cipher bureau as it was bad manners to read other people’s mail.
But not everyone dismissed code breaking as immoral. And those who did see its purpose tended to favor women for the job. The assumption was that women were better able to focus intensely over long periods of time than men, who were seen as more intelligent but less patient. The assumption overlooked the fact that good code breaking requires both patience and intelligence.
In order to understand how code breaking works, let’s take a look at the two types of covert message systems: codes and ciphers. Codes are words, letters, or a string of numbers that represent words or phrases. Sometimes codes are used for brevity, in the same way that OMG is used today. But codes can also be used to disguise secret information from an enemy’s prying eyes; those meant to read the code could decipher it using a codebook.
Ciphers, on the other hand, are either a scrambling of letters known as transposition or a substitution of individual units with unique units – for example, substituting r for t. During the Renaissance, ciphers such as the Vigenère square were created by lining up various alphabets into a table that could be referenced. But with the development of radio and the telegraph, governments needed more security. So they created cipher machines as well as developing complicated ciphers using mathematical equations.
Tackling messages intercepted by cable, airmail, or teletype – that is, cryptanalysis, or code breaking – involved many tactics. In some cases, codes were cracked by stealing codebooks from the enemy. But more often, cryptanalysts cracked codes by studying the frequency and placement of specific words, using mathematical equations, and deducing meaning through educated guesses.
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What is Code Girls about?
Code Girls (2017) is about the thousands of American women who worked as code breakers during World War II. Informed by interviews with over 20 surviving women, archived documents, and recently declassified oral histories, author Liza Mundy details the unprecedented lives of female code breakers in Washington, DC and beyond as well as the American intelligence that led to the success of the Allied war efforts.
Code Girls Review
Code Girls (2017) uncovers the untold story of the thousands of women who played a pivotal role in breaking codes during World War II. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- It sheds light on the remarkable contributions of these women to the war effort, challenging traditional gender roles and showcasing their intellect and bravery.
- Through fascinating anecdotes and meticulous research, the book brings to life the challenges and triumphs of the Code Girls, making history come alive.
- The book offers a fresh perspective on World War II, highlighting a previously overlooked aspect and providing a deeper understanding of the era.
Best quote from Code Girls
It was not easy being a smart girl in the 1940s. People thought you were annoying.
—Liza Mundy
Who should read Code Girls?
- History buffs
- Espionage enthusiasts interested in the history of cryptography
- Students of science or gender studies
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Code Girls FAQs
What is the main message of Code Girls?
The main message of Code Girls is the significant and untold contributions made by women codebreakers during World War II.
How long does it take to read Code Girls?
The reading time for Code Girls varies depending on the reader's speed, but it typically takes several hours. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Code Girls a good book? Is it worth reading?
Code Girls is a captivating and insightful read that sheds light on the invaluable role women played in wartime codebreaking. It is definitely worth reading.
Who is the author of Code Girls?
The author of Code Girls is Liza Mundy.
What to read after Code Girls?
If you're wondering what to read next after Code Girls, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson
- A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell
- Questions I Am Asked About The Holocaust by Hédi Fried
- Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
- Black and British by David Olusoga
- The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
- Bedtime Biography: Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford
- The Volunteer by Jack Fairweather
- A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn
- The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt