SpyCast

“Codebreaking and Codemaking Down Under” – with John Blaxland and Clare Birgin

Listen Later
Summary

John Blaxland (X, LinkedIn) and Clare Birgin (Wikipedia, LinkedIn) join Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss Australian codebreaking. John and Clare are coauthors of the new book Revealing Secrets. 

What You’ll LearnIntelligence
  • The importance of SIGINT
  • Codebreaking in Australian intelligence
  • Australia’s role in WWII and the Cold War
  • The advent and evolution of cyber 
    • Reflections
    • Strategic defense and offense 
    • The power, and danger, of communication
      • And much, much more …
      Quotes of the Week

      "What I've noticed with the Australians, and I think it's similar in the other the other Five Eyes countries, these people tend to be quite patriotic to do [Signals Intelligence]. They want to, they love their country, and it also seems to preserve very good qualities.” -Clare Birgin.


      Resources SURFACE SKIM*Spotlight Resource* 
      Revealing Secrets: An unofficial history of Australian Signals intelligence and the advent of cyber, Clare Birgin and John Blaxland (University of New South Wales Press, 2023) *SpyCasts*
      • I Helped Solve the Final Zodiac Killer Cipher with David Oranchak (2024)
      • Australian National Day Special: Intelligence Down Under with John Blaxland (2024)
      • My Father the Navajo Code-Talker with Laura Tohe (2023) 
      • CYBER AUGUST: “So, You Want to Be a Codebreaker?” with Elonka Dunin and Klaus Schmeh (2021) 
        *Beginner Resources*
        • Australia's Involvement in WWII, Australian Broadcasting Service, YouTube (2020) [4 min. video]
        • A short history of cyber espionage, D. O’Brien, Medium (2017) [Short article]
        • Signals Intelligence (SINGINT) Overview, National Security Agency (n.d.) [Short article]
          DEEPER DIVEPrimary Sources 
          • WMD Report (2005) 
          • The ANZUS Treaty (1951)
          • Role and effectiveness of Signals Intelligence in World War II (1945)
          • The Atlantic Charter (1941)
          • The Zimmerman Telegram (1917)
          • Oral History by Ruby Boye Jones (n.d.)
            *Wildcard Resource*
            • Here’s a challenge – For their 75th Anniversary in 2022, the Australian Signals Directorate released a limited edition coin with multiple layers of code to crack on both sides. 
            • Think you can solve it? Check out the link above and test your code-cracking skills. 

              • Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

              ...more
              View all episodesView all episodes
              Download on the App Store
              SpyCastBy SpyCast
              • 5
              • 5
              • 5
              • 5
              • 5

              5

              4 ratings

              More shows like SpyCast

              View all
              SpyCast by SpyCast

              SpyCast

              1,533 Listeners

              Dan Snow's History Hit by History Hit

              Dan Snow's History Hit

              4,789 Listeners

              Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues | Current Affairs by Secrets & Spies

              Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues | Current Affairs

              268 Listeners

              Darknet Diaries by Jack Rhysider

              Darknet Diaries

              8,041 Listeners

              TRIGGERnometry by TRIGGERnometry

              TRIGGERnometry

              2,136 Listeners

              WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk by Goalhanger

              WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk

              1,421 Listeners

              The Team House by dee takos

              The Team House

              1,645 Listeners

              True Spies: Espionage | Investigation | Crime | Murder | Detective | Politics by SPYSCAPE

              True Spies: Espionage | Investigation | Crime | Murder | Detective | Politics

              1,952 Listeners

              In Moscow's Shadows by Mark Galeotti

              In Moscow's Shadows

              370 Listeners

              SPYCRAFT 101 by Justin Black

              SPYCRAFT 101

              346 Listeners

              Short History Of... by NOISER

              Short History Of...

              2,824 Listeners

              NatSec Matters by Beacon Global Strategies LLC

              NatSec Matters

              268 Listeners

              The Spy Who by Wondery

              The Spy Who

              591 Listeners

              The Poppy Day Bomb | Times Investigates by The Times

              The Poppy Day Bomb | Times Investigates

              35 Listeners

              The Rest Is Classified by Goalhanger

              The Rest Is Classified

              1,002 Listeners