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Decoding Nazi Secrets
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Program Overview
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NOVA tells the story of how the Allies are able to crack codes
produced by Enigma, a supposedly impenetrable German cipher machine,
and thereby influence the course of WWII.
The program:
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describes how Enigma can produce more configurations for any
particular message than there are grains of sand on Earth.
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tells how the British government secretly invited men and women
of all ages and abilities—including Egyptologists,
anthropologists, paleontologists, mathematicians, and crossword
puzzle enthusiasts—to unravel the Enigma cipher at Station
X, a mansion 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of London.
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relates the patience, team effort, and absolute secrecy needed
to accomplish the task.
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explains how codebreakers at Station X recognized the role that
human error played in helping to break the code.
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describes how the work at Station X gave Allied commanders
essential information to attack the enemy effectively and
reroute military personnel to avoid German attack.
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