18 Facts About Herbert Yardley

Herbert Osborn Yardley was an American cryptologist.

Herbert Yardley founded and led the cryptographic organization the Black Chamber.

Herbert Yardley wrote The American Black Chamber about his experiences there.

Herbert Yardley later helped the Nationalists in China to break Japanese codes.

Herbert Yardley learned to use the telegraph from his father, Robert Kirkbride Yardley, a station master and telegrapher for a railroad.

Herbert Yardley's mother, Mary Emma Osborn Yardley, died when he was 13.

Herbert Yardley spent his free time learning how to play poker and applied his winnings towards his further schooling.

Herbert Yardley began his career as a code clerk in the US State Department.

At that time, American codes were very weak and Herbert Yardley solved them easily.

Herbert Yardley was shocked to learn that President Wilson was using a code that had been in use for over ten years.

The weakness of American codes worried Herbert Yardley, especially considering the war in Europe, so in May 1916 he began writing a hundred-page "Solution of American Diplomatic Codes", which he gave to his boss.

In June 1917, Herbert Yardley became a 2nd lieutenant in the Signal Corps and head of the newly created eighth section of military intelligence, MI-8.

Herbert Yardley proved to be a very good administrator and during the war the people of MI-8 performed well even if they did not have any spectacular successes.

Unfortunately, Herbert Yardley spent much of his time in New York involved in unrelated activities.

Previous accounts of Herbert Yardley's career had said that the publication American Black Chamber, in Japan, had been one of the key triggers to Japanese militarism, because it exposed how American codebreakers had helped force Japan to accept an unfairly small limitation on its Naval tonnage.

Herbert Yardley did cryptologic work for Canada and China during World War II, but he was never again given a position of trust in the US government.

Herbert Yardley contributed as a writer and technical advisor to several movies, including Rendezvous, based very loosely on one of his novels, The Blonde Countess.

Herbert Yardley is a member of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame.