The Black Chamber , officially the Cable and Telegraph Section and also known as the Cipher Bureau , was the first peacetime cryptanalytic organization in the United States, operating from 1917 to 1929. It was a forerunner of the National Security Agency (NSA).
21-507: Cipher Bureau may refer to: Cipher Bureau (United States) , aka Black Chamber (1919–1929), the US government's first peacetime cryptanalytic organization Cipher Bureau (Poland) ( Biuro Szyfrów ), the interwar Polish unit charged with signals intelligence, cryptography and cryptanalysis that broke the German cipher machine Enigma Cipher Bureau (film) ,
42-467: A 1938 American film Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Cipher Bureau . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cipher_Bureau&oldid=976310827 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
63-474: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Cipher Bureau (United States) Until World War I , the only codes and cypher organizations created by the U.S. government were short-lived agencies of the United States Armed Forces , such as the U.S. Army 's Military Intelligence (MI-8). The Cable and Telegraph Section or Cipher Bureau
84-637: The National Security Agency (NSA). United States Secretary of State The United States secretary of state ( SecState ) is a member of the executive branch of the federal government and the head of the Department of State . The office holder is the second-highest-ranking member of the president's Cabinet , after the vice president, and ranks fourth in the presidential line of succession ; first amongst cabinet secretaries. Created in 1789 with Thomas Jefferson as its first office holder,
105-563: The Signal Corps , which opted to rebuild the organization for their own purposes and dismissed Yardley and all of his employees. New Secretary of State Henry L. Stimson made this decision, and years later in his memoirs made the oft-quoted comment: "Gentlemen do not read each other's mail." Stimson's ethical reservations about cryptanalysis focused on the targeting of diplomats from the U.S.'s close allies, not on spying in general. Once he became Secretary of War during World War II , he and
126-476: The secretary of the treasury , secretary of defense , and attorney general , are generally regarded as the four most crucial Cabinet members because of the importance of their respective departments. Secretary of state is a Level I position in the Executive Schedule and thus earns the salary prescribed for that level $ 246,400, as of January 2024. The current secretary of state is Antony Blinken , who
147-776: The Cipher Bureau, which consisted of Yardley and two civilian clerks. It absorbed the Navy 's cryptanalysis functions in July 1918. The Cipher Bureau moved to New York City on May 20, 1919, where it continued intelligence activities as the Code Compilation Company, or the Black Chamber, under Yardley's command. Jointly funded by the Army and the State Department , the Cipher Bureau
168-645: The communications of the Axis powers . When the war ended, the SIS was reorganized as the Army Security Agency (ASA). On May 20, 1949, all cryptologic activities were centralized under a national organization called the Armed Forces Security Agency (AFSA), a division of the Department of Defense that, after issues relating to poor interagency communication and coordination, was reformed on November 4, 1952 into
189-528: The department, renaming it the Department of State, and created the office of secretary of state to lead the department. The stated duties of the secretary of state are to supervise the United States foreign service and immigration policy and administer the Department of State. The secretary must also advise the president on U.S. foreign matters such as the appointment of diplomats and ambassadors, advising
210-461: The entire American cable industry" was part of this effort. However, these companies eventually withdrew their support, possibly due to the Radio Act of 1927 , which broadened criminal offenses related to breaching the confidentiality of telegraph messages. In 1929, the State Department withdrew its share of the funding while the Army, undergoing unit reorganizations, transferred the Black Chamber to
231-561: The entire U.S. command structure relied heavily on decrypted enemy communications. In 1931, Yardley, out of a job and desperate for an income during the Great Depression , wrote a book about the Cipher Bureau, titled The American Black Chamber . The term "Black Chamber" predates Yardley's use of it in the title of his book. During World War II, the Signal Intelligence Service (SIS) was created to intercept and decipher
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#1732845240449252-501: The extradition of fugitives to foreign countries. Under federal law, the resignation of a president or of a vice president is valid only if declared in writing, in an instrument delivered to the office of the secretary of state. Accordingly, the resignations of President Richard Nixon and of Vice President Spiro Agnew were formalized in instruments delivered to then-Secretary of State Henry Kissinger . Although they have historically decreased over time, Congress may occasionally add to
273-542: The form of passports. Doing this, the secretary also ensures the protection of citizens, their property, and interests in foreign countries. What are the Qualifications of a Secretary of State? He ought to be a Man of universal Reading in Laws, Governments, History. Our whole terrestrial Universe ought to be summarily comprehended in his Mind. — John Adams Secretaries of state also have domestic responsibilities. Most of
294-1312: The highest-ranking member of the cabinet, the secretary of state is the third-highest official of the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president and vice president, and is fourth in line to succeed the presidency , after the vice president , the speaker of the House of Representatives , and the president pro tempore of the Senate . Six past secretaries of state – Jefferson , Madison , Monroe , John Quincy Adams , Van Buren and Buchanan – have gone on to be elected president. Others, including Henry Clay , Daniel Webster , Lewis Cass , John C. Calhoun , John M. Clayton , William L. Marcy , William Seward , Edward Everett , Jeremiah S. Black , James Blaine , Elihu B. Washburne , Thomas F. Bayard , John Sherman , Walter Q. Gresham , William Jennings Bryan , Philander C. Knox , Charles Evans Hughes , Elihu Root , Cordell Hull , Edmund Muskie , Alexander Haig , John Kerry , and Hillary Clinton have also campaigned as presidential candidates, either before or after their term of office as secretary of state, but were ultimately unsuccessful. The position of secretary of state has therefore been viewed to be
315-524: The historical domestic functions of the Department of State were gradually transferred to other agencies by the late 19th century as part of various administrative reforms and restructurings. Those that remain include storage and use of the Great Seal, performance of protocol functions for the White House , and the drafting of certain proclamations. The secretary also negotiates with the individual states over
336-514: The president of the dismissal and recall of these people. The secretary of state can conduct negotiations, interpret, and terminate treaties relating to foreign policy. The secretary also can participate in international conferences, organizations, and agencies as a representative of the United States. The secretary communicates issues relating to the U.S. foreign policy to Congress and citizens. The secretary also provides services to U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad such as providing credentials in
357-573: The responsibilities of the secretary of state. One such instance occurred in 2014, when Congress passed the Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act which mandated actions the secretary of state must take in order to facilitate the return of abducted children from nations who are party to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction . As
378-505: The secretary of state represents the United States to foreign countries, and is therefore considered analogous to a minister of foreign affairs in other countries. The secretary of state is nominated by the president of the United States and, following a confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations , is confirmed by the Senate . The secretary of state, along with
399-578: Was confirmed on January 26, 2021, by the Senate by a vote of 78–22. The secretary of state originates from the government under the Articles of Confederation . The Congress of the Confederation established the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1781 and created the office of secretary of foreign affairs. After the Constitution of the United States was ratified, the 1st United States Congress reestablished
420-563: Was established on April 28, 1917, three weeks after the U.S. Congress declared war on the German Empire and began American involvement in World War I . It was headquartered in Washington, D.C. , operated under the executive branch without direct Congressional authorization, and was moved in the Army's organizational chart several times. On July 5, 1917, Herbert O. Yardley was assigned to head
441-477: Was tasked with breaking the communications of other nations, primarily diplomatic communications, as occurred during the Washington Naval Conference . According to intelligence historian James Bamford , the Black Chamber secured the cooperation of American telegraph companies such as Western Union in illegally turning over the cable traffic of foreign embassies and consulates. Eventually, "almost
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