The Black Chamber Organization - Essay Example

This organization was also known as The Black Chamber as was founded immediately after World War I. The organization was jointly funded by the Department of State and the US Army. The organization is also known as MI-8, the first cryptanalytic organization of the United States. However, the organization was disbanded in the year 1929 when the State Department pulled out (National Security Agency, 2009).  Some Works of MI-8 Under Herbert, the organization and the team of cryptanalysts were able to decipher more than 24 foreign diplomatic cipher systems (National Security Agency, 2009). The organization was able to intercept 64 messages in one code that was being transmitted to Mexico from Nauen (Richelson, 1995).

This message was very essential for the US Army as the message illustrated a Japanese plan to provide the Mexicans with arms and ammunition and also the machinery needed to manufacture the weapons (Richelson, 1995). Another message that was decoded by the Cipher Bureau was being transmitted by a Nauen station to Mexico. The intent of the message was to demand from the German minister in Mexico to get ten million pesetas as an amount to make Mexico neutral during the war (Richelson, 1995). By 1920, the organization solved about 26 Spanish systems.

Some of the solutions were advanced by intercepting the messages and code material that was supplied by Britain. Description of Organization MI-8 came into existence through the efforts of Herbert O. Yardley in 1917 which included only two civilians as employees and a second lieutenant (Richelson, 1995). Soon, the staff increased to 25 and the team started to attack the codes from many foreign countries. The organization achieved the purpose for which it was founded, to intercept and decode the messages ciphered by other nations.

It helped in the conviction of Lothar Witzke as a suspect of the Black Tom Explosion (Richelson, 1995). This organization was America’s most secret and intelligent service provider to the state. In the past, the US did not keep any codes and ciphers formally.