Manual of Cryptography

Translation of the second (1936) Italian edition by noted American cryptographer Helen Fouché Gaines. The author, a noted European cryptographer, whose Manuale di Crittografia went through three editions in the original Italian, presents - with illustrative examples of enciphering and cryptanalysis - all the cryptosystems proposed or in use through the early 20th century. He also includes, again with examples, description and analysis of the cipher machines in use between the World Wars, including the Enigma which played a major role in World War 2. Finally, he introduces the reader to the mathematical aspect of cryptography, again with extensive examples. Thus this book is a bridge from the ancient origins of the art of cryptography to recent aspects. The only omissions are modern digital cryptosystems developed after WW2, including RSA and public-key systems.