Page 92 - All About History - Issue 27-15

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As many as 80 million soldiers Who was
and civilians died during World
War II, but this figure could have Herodotus?
been even higher if the Enigma
code hadn’t been cracked Lucy Dallas, Bury
Often referred to as ‘the father of
history’, Herodotus was a Greek
historian who lived during the 5th
century BCE. His writings, The
Histories, were an investigation
into the Greco-Persian war and
are among the earliest known
ALAN TURING examples of historical research. This
Nationality: British collection of accounts included many
Born-died: 1912-54 details of life at the time, including
descriptions of festivals and religious
Turing was a pioneering rituals. However, some historians,
Brief mathematician and both ancient and modern, have
cryptographer. He
Bio developed intricate
machines called criticised Herodotus’s work, claiming
‘bombes’ in order to decode that it is unreliable and contains
the Nazis’ transmissions in inaccurate information. That said,
World War II. He also completed several archaeological discoveries
work that formed the basis of
modern computer science, and support some of Herodotus’s claims
contemplated the possibility of that were previously considered to be
artificial intelligence in machines.
Tragically, Turing committed fanciful storytelling.
suicide at the age of 41.
How do we know breaking the

Enigma code saved lives?

Sara Lincoln, St Albans messages revealed the positions given Hitler time to prepare stronger
Had Alan Turing and his colleagues of U-boats in the Atlantic, which defences. If that were the case, it
at Bletchley Park not cracked the were destroying convoys delivering would have taken the Allies much
Enigma code in 1940, historians food supplies to Britain. Knowing longer to liberate occupied territories
estimate that World War II could the locations of the deadly Nazi and eventually reach Berlin.
have lasted until 1948. Based on fleets helped cargo ships plot safe Of course, there is no way of
an average of about seven million courses, saving many Britons from knowing exactly when the war
deaths each year in Europe during the brink of starvation. Breaking the would have ended had the code
the war, this suggests that between U-boat stronghold also contributed remained a mystery. It is possible
14 and 21 million lives were saved. to the success of the D-Day landings, that the Allies may have eventually Historians have argued over whether
These estimates are based on because any delay in the Allied decided to use atomic bombs against Herotodus was the ‘father of history’ or
the ‘father of lies’
several factors. The decrypted invasion of Europe would have Berlin as they did in Japan.
Thisdayinhistory 25 June

841 1608 1876 1900

O Battle of Fontenoy O Treaty of Lieben O Custer’s last stand O Dunhuang manuscripts discovered
After Charlemagne’s successor, Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf Themostfamouseventofthe Daoist monk Wang Yuanlu finds a
Louis the Pious, died, the II signs an agreement to Great Sioux War, the Battle collection of about 40,000 manuscripts,
Carolingian empire was divided surrender the territories of of the Little Bighorn begins. whicharepreservedinasealedcave.The
between his sons. Disputing Hungary, Moravia and areas It will result in a victory for documents range in age from throughout
the decision, the brothers go of Austria to his brother theNativeAmericantribes the first millennium, providing scholars
towar.TheBattleofFontenoy Matthias in return for control against a cavalry regiment of with a valuable insight into ancient
isoneofmanybrutalconflicts. of Tyrol and Vorland. theUnitedStatesArmy. Oriental culture.

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