Book Review: The Third Reich is Listening

The Third Reich is Listening by Christian Jennings

This gem of a book delves deep into the murky world of codebreaking during the last war, highlighting how the Germans intercepted and decoded Allied signals. Superbly written and researched, it charts not only how cryptanalysts went about their work, but also its impact on the war – from each side’s perspective – and how the intelligence was used. Extensive background is given, starting from the work of the Kaiser’s forces in the Great War, up to and including the aftermath of Hitler’s defeat.

An absorbing touch is the chronology section in the back of the book which lists major codebreaking ‘happenings’ from August 1914 until April 1945. Another interesting part of the epilogue details the fate of key intelligence personnel after VE-Day, a surprising number of whom returned to military service during the Cold War. A great read that uncovers a largely untold aspect of World War Two history.

Publisher: Osprey  www.ospreypublishing.com

Hardback: 352 pages  ISBN: 978-1-4728-2950-4  RRP: £20