Solving the Enigma

However, the equation had too many unknown variables. He finally made the initial breaks into the wiring sequence only with the aid of a German traitor.

Hans-Thilo Schmidt, an employee of the German cryptographic agency, introduced himself to a French intelligence officer and offered to sell German cryptographic information. Captain Gustave Bertrand followed up on the contact, and the initial information Schmidt provided proved authentic. Eventually Schmidt provided the French cryptologic office with documentation on the Enigma machine and some Enigma keys. Unfortunately, the information did not contain wiring diagrams for the rotors.

With this information in hand, Captain Bertrand arranged a meeting with his counterparts in the Polish cryptologic agency in December 1932. He proposed a cooperative effort to work on the German machine ciphers. They agreed to an arrangement: the French would provide any German intelligence that could further the breaks into the system, while the Poles would work on the actual cryptanalysis. Captain Bertrand left the Enigma documen

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