Breaking the Codes
TV Show · Documentary

How World War II codebreakers contributed to allied victory.

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
    Using rare archive footage and exclusive interviews to document the rise of the code breakers, highlighting the war that involved 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 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

How World War II codebreakers contributed to allied victory.

Information

Studio
PBS
Released
2001
Rated
PG
  • Français (Canada)
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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)