Codebreaker in the Far East

This is the first book to describe British wartime success in breaking Japanese codes of dazzling variety and great complexity which contributed to the victory in Burma three months before Hiroshima. Written for the general reader, this first-hand account describes the difficulty of decoding one of the most complex languages in the world in some of the most difficult conditions. The book was published in 1989 to avoid proposed legislation which would prohibit those in the security services from publishing secret information.

Alan Stripp in 1943 was a first-year Cambridge classics scholar with an aptitude for musical composition, chess, and crossword puzzles. These attributes led to his selection for training in breaking Japanese codes, which he did at Bletchley Park and in Delhi until the end of the war, when he switched to Persian and Afghan codes. Returning to Cambridge, he changed course to read Japanese and Chinese. His later career embraced the British Council in Portugal and Indonesia, and both lecturing and administration at Cambridge. Since retiring in 1988 he has directed Cambridge University summer schools on British secret intelligence.

1. CAMBRIDGE, BEDFORD, AND YORKSHIRE ; 7. JAPANESE CODES AND CIPHERS: WHAT WERE THEY LIKE? ; 14. CLANDESTINE GROUPS AND THEIR SIGNALS