Zimmermann Telegram (crypto history)
cjl
cjl at welchlink.welch.jhu.edu
Wed Jan 24 08:27:16 PST 1996
On Tue, 23 Jan 1996, Perry E. Metzger wrote:
>
> It was the Zimmermann Telegram, actually, and it was a dispatch from
> the Germans to the Mexicans trying to promise them most of the
> southwest in exchange for being allies against the U.S. (which wasn't
> yet in the war). The Brits intercepted and decoded it and released it,
> which forced the U.S. into World War I.
>
Why is it that I seem to recall that one of the responses by a govt.
official to the intercept was the infamous diplomatic quote
"Gentlemen do not read other gentlemen's mail"
Ah, would that this sentiment were more common in government circles
today (sigh) . . . .
C. J. Leonard ( / "DNA is groovy"
\ / - Watson & Crick
<cjl at welchlink.welch.jhu.edu> / \ <-- major groove
( \
Finger for public key \ )
Strong-arm for secret key / <-- minor groove
Thumb-screws for pass-phrase / )
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