Elizabeth Smith Friedman: The Woman Who Built American Cryptography

On this episode of Our American Stories, Elizabeth Smith Friedman helped build modern American cryptography, though much of her work remained classified for decades. From World War I through World War II, she broke enemy codes, trained military intelligence officers, dismantled Prohibition-era smuggling networks, and exposed Nazi spy rings operating in South America.

Lindsay Larkin, who attended Friedman's alma mater, shares the story of a pioneering codebreaker whose quiet work shaped U.S. intelligence and national security long before her contributions were publicly recognized. We'd like to thank Constituting America for turning us onto this tale. 

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