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American Experience

William Friedman: Cryptologist

A Jewish immigrant from Russia, William F. Friedman became a codebreaker for the U.S.

Aired 12/15/2020

American Experience

William Friedman: Cryptologist

Clip: Season 33 Episode 1 | 1m 14s

A Jewish immigrant from Russia, William F. Friedman became a codebreaker for the U.S.

William F. Friedman married Elizebeth Friedman in 1917 and the two began a life of codebreaking for the U.S. Government. During WWI, they invented new methods of codebreaking and laid the foundation for modern cryptology.

Aired 12/15/2020

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Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

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Chapter 1 | The Codebreaker

Video has Closed Captions

Watch a preview of The Codebreaker. (7m 25s)

Elizebeth Friedman: Cryptanalyst Pioneer

Friedman’s codebreaking in WWII enabled the US to win the “Battle of the Atlantic”. (1m 6s)

Extended Trailer | The Codebreaker | American Experience

The fascinating story of Elizebeth Smith Friedman, the groundbreaking cryptanalyst. (1m 25s)

Trailer | The Codebreaker | American Experience

The fascinating story of the groundbreaking cryptanalyst, Elizebeth Smith Friedman. (30s)

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Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

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