Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site utcsri.UUCP Path: utzoo!utcsri!outer From: outer@utcsri.UUCP (Richard Outerbridge) Newsgroups: net.crypt,net.politics Subject: Re: Enigma and the Eastern Front again Message-ID: <2122@utcsri.UUCP> Date: Thu, 13-Feb-86 19:07:05 EST Article-I.D.: utcsri.2122 Posted: Thu Feb 13 19:07:05 1986 Date-Received: Fri, 14-Feb-86 00:38:25 EST References: <11809@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> Organization: CSRI, University of Toronto Lines: 24 > [ps- I will revert to email for the rest of this discussion unless > someone besides Matt and I is interested.] The only strategic victory directly attributed to ULTRA is the Battle of the Atlantic. Like any source of good intelligence ULTRA was a strategic weapon: it had a 'multiplier' effect on operational and tactical forces. While it often played a crucial role it was seldom indispensable. In the battle against the U-boat blockade, however, ULTRA was THE deciding factor until the advent of HF/DF. Even if (as can at least be inferred from Philby's memoirs if nothing else) the Soviets had high level access to the fruits of English cryptanalysis it is questionable what value Stalin placed on this intelligence or whether it was indispensable to the Russian victory. Without having studied the matter, offhand I'd say it wasn't of much value to Stalin and the Russians could have done without it. In that case, the only overiding effect of ULTRA on the Eastern Front was keeping England in the war. Given that the Russians defeated the Germans almost single-handedly, did the 'western' Allies make that much of a difference? Would the Russians have won anyway? -- Richard Outerbridge (416) 961-4757 Payload Deliveries: N 43 39'36", W 79 23'42", Elev. 106.47m.