The American Black Chamber is a 1931 book by Herbert O. Yardley. The book describes the inner workings of the interwar American governmental cryptography organization called the Black Chamber. The cryptography historian David Kahn called the book "the most famous book on cryptology ever published."[1] By describing the inner workings of the organization, the book created large interest and heightened public awareness of the United States's cryptographic abilities. In particular, the Japanese government became aware of the extent of experience that the American government had with cryptography and increased the strength of their own knowledge in cryptography in response. Reviewers suggested the book may have cost the United States significantly in the Pacific theater against Japan in World War II.[2]
 | |
| Author | Herbert O. Yardley |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | The Bobbs-Merrill Company |
Publication date | 1931 |
| Pages | 375 |
| OCLC | 5665835 |
| 940.4/8673 | |
| LC Class | D639.S7 Y3 1931 |
The book was made into the 1935 film Rendezvous starring William Powell and Rosalind Russell.
References
edit- ^ Kahn, David (1967). The Codebreakers. p. 176.
Yardley, in desperation, sat down to write what was to be the most famous book on cryptology ever published.
- ^ Newton, David E. (1997). Encyclopedia of Cryptography. Santa Barbara California: Instructional Horizons, Inc. p. 12.
 | This article about a book on technology is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This article about a book on politics of the United States is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This article about a non-fiction book on U.S. history is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This cryptography-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |