The Secret Code-Breakers of Central Bureau

how Australia’s signals-intelligence network helped win the Pacific War
David Dufty

‘This is history and military strategy written at its most engaging.’

Waikato Times

‘The author weaves a true tale of intrigue, remarkable perseverance, urgency, and good luck.’

Hawkes Bay Weekend

View all reviews

‘Who knew? This enthralling study tells a deeply human story. The men and women who gave our troops a significant edge in the fight against the Japanese are the genuine heroes in this engaging and exciting book.’

Michael McKernan, author of The Strength of a Nation and When This Thing Happened

Alan Turing saved millions of lives. But Bletchley Park wasn’t the only major code-breaking operation during World War II. Down under, there was Central Bureau.

Central Bureau — Australia’s own large and sophisticated intelligence network, built from scratch. It was this group of mathematicians, code-breakers, and radio experts who intercepted the travel plans of the architect of the Pearl Harbor attack, Admiral Yamamoto, leading to his ambush and death. Australian signals intelligence also played a vital role in the battles of the Coral Sea, Milne Bay, Hollandia, and many others. General Douglas MacArthur, the supreme commander of the local Allied forces, went so far as to insist that the men of Central Bureau accompany him on his counter-attack in the Pacific.

After the war, the US sought to give these non-combatants the highest awards possible — honours that were suppressed by the Australian government in their need for secrecy. A groundbreaking work of military history, The Secret Code-Breakers of Central Bureau gives these talented and dedicated individuals their due at last. It is a rich account of the shadowy side of military strength and of the men and women whose work was, in the words of the US navy, of ‘immeasurable importance in the successful prosecution’ of the Pacific War.

‘This is history and military strategy written at its most engaging.’

Waikato Times

‘The author weaves a true tale of intrigue, remarkable perseverance, urgency, and good luck.’

Hawkes Bay Weekend

View all reviews

BUY EBOOK

Details

Format:Hardback

Size: 234mm × 153mm

Extent:464pp

ISBN (13):9781911344711

RRP:£25.00

Pub date:3 Aug 2017

Rights Held: World

High-res cover:Download Image

AWARDS

CATEGORIES / tags

Second World War HISTORY / Wars & Conflicts / World War II / General Australasian & Pacific history Military intelligence Biography: historical, political & military HISTORY / Australia & New Zealand POLITICAL SCIENCE / Intelligence & Espionage BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Military

AUTHOR

David Dufty

David Dufty is a Canberra-based writer and researcher. He completed a psychology degree with honours at the University of Newcastle, has a PhD in psychology from Macquarie University, and has worked as a statistician and social researcher at the University of Memphis, Newspoll, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. His previous book, How to Build an Android, described modern developments in robotics and artificial intelligence.