International Military Tribunal for the Far East

The International Military Tribunal for the Far East (IMTFE) was the Pacific and Asian theater version of the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg, held after World War II to punish the military and political leaders responsible for the war. Most Continue reading International Military Tribunal for the Far East

New commemorative chart marks the Battle of Midway’s 75th anniversary

Free commemorative edition nautical chart of Midway atoll, site of the battle that was the turning point of the Pacific War. Source: New commemorative chart marks the Battle of Midway’s 75th anniversary

Codes, cyphers, and the National Cryptologic Museum

Outside the National Cryptologic Museum gift store is this replica of the Rosetta Stone. Created around 196 BC, it displays a decree from an Egyptian king, written in Egyptian hieroglyphs, Demotic script and ancient Greek. Discovered by a French soldier during France's invasion of Egypt in 1799, it provided the key to unlocking Egyptian hieroglyphs, much as modern code breakers look for keys in breaking coded texts. The real Rosetta Stone is on display at the British Museum in London.

Located at the edge of Fort Meade, Maryland, in an old, nondescript motel, is the National Cryptologic Museum. Admission is free, and with that admission you can explore how the worlds of communications, mathematics, and security intersect in cryptology. Photos Continue reading Codes, cyphers, and the National Cryptologic Museum