From: CHRISTOPHER JAY LEONARD <cjl@welchlink.welch.jhu.edu>
Date: Thu, 19 May 94 21:04:02 PDT
To: sci.crypt@bull.com
Subject: Crypto-history
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9405192356.A21761-0100000@welchlink.welch.jhu.edu>
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Crypto-history buffs,

Apropos the recent discussion of the Bletchley Park and NSA exhibits of 
WWII rotor-type cipher machines on sci.crypt, there is an excellent 
article by Glenn Zorpette (of IEEE Spectrum) in the Summer 1994 issue of 
American Heritage of Invention and Technology, Volume 10/Number 1.  This 
is a Forbes publication that is put out by their American Heritage 
Magazine group. 
 
The title of the article is "The Edison of Secret Codes" and it is 
about Edward Hugh Hebern who contributed much to the development 
of rotor-type cipher machines from 1912 until after WWII.  It features 
quotes from David Kahn (The Codebreakers) and some terrific photos of 
early cryptographic equipment, as well as a nice description of the 
design/function of the machines and vulnerabilities to cryptanalysis by 
the Army's William Friedman in the 1920's.  There lawsuit by Hebern against 
patent infringement by the government serves as an an eerie premonition of 
the Inslaw case.  There is a sidebar regarding the National Cryptologic 
Museum.

Last but not least it features this marvelous stanza of an ode to 
Hebern's crypto machine, an equally fitting a description of public key 
systems (e.g. PGP).

Marvelous invention comes out of the West
Triumph of patience, long years without rest
Solved problem of ages, deeper than thought
A code of perfection, a wonder is wrought.

I got my copy directly from someone who works for American Heritage, so I 
can't vouch for it's availabilty on the news stands.  Share and Enjoy :-)

cjl