David Dufty is a Canberra-based writer and researcher. He completed a psychology degree with honours at the University of Newcastle, has a PhD in psychology from Macquarie University, and has worked as a statistician and social researcher at the University of Memphis, Newspoll, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. His previous book, How to Build an Android, described modern developments in robotics and artificial intelligence.
Secrets and Codebreakers
Festival audiences will get a glimpse into the shadow world with two authors who draw back the curtain on Australia’s colourful and fascinating history of intelligence and codebreaking.
Sunday 26th August 2017, 2:15pm. University House, Australian National University.
Tickets: Adult $24.00; Concession $21.95; Junior $11.75
A groundbreaking work of Australian military history, The Secret Code-Breakers of Central Bureau tells the story of the country’s significant code-breaking and signals-intelligence achievements during the Second World War. It reveals how Australians built a large and sophisticated intelligence network from scratch, how Australian code-breakers cracked Japanese army and air force codes, and how the code-breakers played a vital role in the battles of Midway, Milne Bay, the Coral Sea, Hollandia, and Leyte.
The book also reveals Australian involvement in the shooting down of Admiral Yamamoto near Bougainville in 1943, and how on 14 August 1945, following Japan’s offer of surrender, an Australian intelligence officer established the Allies’ first direct radio contact with Japan since the war had begun.
This is a rich historical account of a secret and little-understood side of the war, interwoven with lively personalities and personal stories. It is the story of Australia’s version of Bletchley Park, of talented and dedicated individuals who significantly influenced the course of the Pacific War.
'Who knew? This enthralling study tells a deeply human story. The men and women who gave our troops a significant edge in the fight against the Japanese are the genuine heroes in this engaging and exciting book.’ - Michael McKernan, author of The Strength of a Nation and When This Thing Happened
The Secret Code-Breakers of Central Bureau is published by Scribe.
Buy this book from the festival's bookshop partner Dymocks.
