12 Jul
2007
12 Jul
'07
4:52 p.m.
What gets me a little is the comparative lack of
recognition that all the
others working on projects like Colossus have received; Turing still gets
publicity (rightly so), but not much ever gets said about all the others who
were contributing effort and ideas.
This is a very common problem, especially when dealing with wartime
technologies and who gets the credit. Two of the big factors are state
secrecy, and the old saying "the victor writes the history books".
For the former, one can look at the breaking of the Japanese codes
(purple being the most famous). The Enigma and Lorenz stories are now
pretty much out in the open and declassified, but the Japanese stuff
is still locked up in secrecy. Under the veil of secrecy, the guys
that did the work can not get the credit.
For the latter, one can see just how little (almost no) credit is
given to the Axis powers. There is very credible evidence that Allied
codes were broken during World War 2. It is likely the Germans had
some sort of equivalent of Bletchley, but is probably forever lost.
The Allies were not about to give credit to the Axis engineers. Many
still will not.
It is bothers you - then speak up. Give the guys credit. Spread the
word. They deserve it.
--
Will