Breaking the Codes
TV Show · Documentary

British and American code-breakers make immense contributions toward victory in Europe and the Pacific during World War II.

2001 · 23m
Starring William Woollard
Director Norman De Lacy Evans

Season 1

  • EPISODE 1
    1900-1918 The Men of Room 40
    The beginning of modern code-breaking following the creation of a special unit by the British Royal Navy in 1914.
    23m
  • EPISODE 2
    Rise of Enigma
    Rare archive footage and exclusive interviews document the rise of the code-breakers, who fight using the brilliant skills of mathematicians and chess players.
    23m
  • EPISODE 3
    1920-1941 The Breaking of the Purple
    Cracking Japanese codes; Japan develops a code-making machine.
    24m
  • EPISODE 4
    Midway The True Story
    The Battle of Midway, fought in World War II, took place on June 5, 1942. The United States Navy defeated a Japanese attack against Midway Atoll, marking a turning point in the war in the Pacific theater, The American code breakers worked to decrypt the complex Japanese ciphers. It was a game of chess to anticipate the enemy's next move.
    24m
  • EPISODE 5
    The Rise of Enigma
    The German development of an almost unbreakable cypher machine known as Enigma; the machine became the backbone behind the blitzkrieg.
    25m
  • EPISODE 6
    Battle of the Atlantic
    Efforts made by the code breakers who worked to break German codes and track U-boat movements in order to protect American and British troops during World War II.
    24m

Related

Cast & Crew

  • W‌W
    William Woollard
    Narrator
  • N‌D
    Norman De Lacy Evans
    Director
  • W‌W
    William Woollard
    Producer
  • Brian Johnson
    Producer
  • W‌W
    William Woollard
    Writer

About

Breaking the Codes

Documentary

British and American code-breakers make immense contributions toward victory in Europe and the Pacific during World War II.

Information

Studio
PBS
Released
2001
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Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Botswana
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Cape Verde
  • Egypt
  • Eswatini
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • India
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger (English)
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Uganda
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Zimbabwe

Asia Pacific

  • Australia
  • Cambodia
  • Fiji
  • 香港 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Indonesia (English)
  • 日本
  • Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • 澳門 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Malaysia (English)
  • Micronesia, Federated States of
  • Mongolia
  • New Zealand
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • 대한민국
  • 台灣
  • Thailand
  • Turkmenistan
  • Vietnam

Europe

  • Armenia
  • Österreich
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France (Français)
  • Deutschland
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italia
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg (English)
  • Malta
  • Moldova, Republic Of
  • Nederland
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal (Português)
  • Россия
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • España
  • Sverige
  • Schweiz
  • Türkiye (English)
  • Ukraine
  • United Kingdom

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina (Español)
  • Bahamas
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Bolivia (Español)
  • Brasil
  • Virgin Islands, British
  • Cayman Islands
  • Chile (Español)
  • Colombia (Español)
  • Costa Rica (Español)
  • Dominica
  • República Dominicana
  • Ecuador (Español)
  • El Salvador (Español)
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala (Español)
  • Honduras (Español)
  • México
  • Nicaragua (Español)
  • Panamá
  • Paraguay (Español)
  • Perú
  • St. Kitts and Nevis
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Venezuela (Español)

The United States and Canada

  • Canada (English)
  • Canada (Français)
  • United States
  • Estados Unidos (Español México)