Colossus: Bletchley Park's Greatest Secret

Colossus was a series of computers developed by British codebreakers during World War II. These computers played a vital role in breaking German Enigma and Lorenz ciphers, and helped to turn the tide of the war in favor of the Allies.

Colossus: Bletchley Park's Greatest Secret

by Paul Gannon

4.4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2748 KB
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Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
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The Birth of Colossus

In the early days of World War II, the Germans were using the Enigma cipher machine to encrypt their military communications. The Enigma machine was a complex electro-mechanical device that was very difficult to break. However, a team of British codebreakers at Bletchley Park was able to develop a machine called the Bombe, which could break Enigma ciphers in a matter of hours.

In 1943, the Germans introduced a new cipher machine called the Lorenz. The Lorenz machine was even more complex than the Enigma machine, and the Bombe was unable to break it. To meet this challenge, the British codebreakers developed a new computer called Colossus.

The Colossus Computer

Colossus was a massive machine, weighing over 10 tons and occupying an entire room. It was built using vacuum tubes, and it was one of the first electronic computers in the world.

Colossus was able to break Lorenz ciphers in a matter of minutes. This gave the Allies a significant advantage in the war, as they were able to read German military communications in near real time.

The Impact of Colossus

Colossus played a vital role in the Allied victory in World War II. It helped to shorten the war by an estimated two years, and it saved countless lives.

Colossus was also a major breakthrough in the history of computing. It paved the way for the development of modern computers, and it helped to launch the digital age.

Epilogue

Colossus was decommissioned after the war, and it was eventually scrapped. However, its legacy lives on. Colossus is recognized as one of the most important inventions of the 20th century, and it is a symbol of the ingenuity and determination of the British codebreakers who helped to win World War II.

Further Reading

• Colossus at Bletchley Park
• Colossus at The National Museum of Computing
• Colossus: Bletchley Park's Greatest Secret by Sinclair McKay

Colossus: Bletchley Park's Greatest Secret

by Paul Gannon

4.4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2748 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Print length	:	505 pages
Lending	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported

FREE