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Who was ‘Venona's’ ‘Ales’? cryptanalysis and the Hiss case

2003/09/01 by Eduard Mark · 3 citations
Social Sciences · #Intelligence, Security, War Strategy #Hiss #Reading (process) #Law #Political science #Computer security #Computer science #Physics

paper · doi:10.1080/02684520412331306920

openalex publication_date 2003/09/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29

Abstract

One of the most notable messages in ‘Venona’ is No.1822, which the NKGB's Washington station sent to Moscow on 30 March 1945. As the message describes an agent of the GRU who circumstantially resembles Alger Hiss, it has strengthened the position of those scholars who have argued that Hiss was a Soviet spy. John Lowenthal, Hiss's lawyer, urges that an alternative reading of No.1822 exonerates his client. A review of the evidence shows that factual considerations exclude Lowenthal's reading of the cable. ‘Venona’ also contains another cable, hitherto unnoticed, that further strengthens the case against Hiss.

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