What If...

What If rewrites history but unlike most media admits it. Professor Christopher Andrew of Cambridge University asks what if major turning points in history had taken a different turn. By altering a single plausible fact, he re-examines the events of the day.

The latest programme asks the question: “What If... the Germans had discovered that the Allies had cracked Enigma during WWII?”

 The Enigma code - What If - History - Radio 4

It's widely accepted that the intelligence the Allies gained from Enigma shortened the war by several years, and saved the lives of thousands of troops and civilians.

With hindsight it's surprising that the German High Command never realised that their master code had been cracked and was daily being monitored by the Bletchley Park code-breakers - an act that was daily contributing to their demise. Had they appreciated this, how would Hitler have reacted, what evasive action would he have taken, and how might this have affected the outcome of World War Two?

Speakers include:

• Michael Smith, Defence Correspondent, Daily Telegraph
• Christine Large, Director, Bletchley Park Trust
• Morag Beattie, former WREN and bombe-operator at Bletchley Park
• Mac Hobley, former Telecoms engineer and guide at Bletchley Park
• John Harper, electrical engineer reconstructing a bombe at Bletchley Park