Navajo Codes During WW2

The Navajo religion is being Navajo. Religion is something that you live every day (Young, 2001, p. 233).

During the Pacific portion of World War II, increasingly frequent instances of broken codes plagued the United States Marine Corps. Because the Japanese had become adept code breakers, at one point a code based on a mathematical algorithm could not be considered secure for more than 24 hours. Desperate for an answer to the apparent problem, the Marines decided to implement a non-mathematical code; they turned to Philip Johnston's concept of using a coded Navajo language for transmissions.

Let’s start with the language portion of the Peoplehood matrix and the affects that settler colonialism has had on Navajo. In Peoplehood, it is stated that the language portion of the Peoplehood matrix is “a group-particular language, by way of its nuances, references, and grammar, gives a sacred history a meaning of its own, particularly if origin, creation, migration, and other stories are spoken rather than written” (Holm, et al. pg. 13). Especially in the late nineteenth century, Navajo children like many other indigenous children were sent to boarding schools. Settler colonialism resulted in a need to as Native Words Native Warriors puts it “eliminate traditional American Indian ways of life and replace them with mainstream American culture.”

And for the Code Talkers, years and years later, when they could finally discuss the code, “Senator Jeff Bingaman . . . proposed the ‘Honoring the Navajo Code Talkers Act’ . . . the act called for recognition for the code talkers” (Nez 256). Both saved the day and both oppressor groups were largely grateful for their sacrifices and for their differences that made it possible.

The Navajo Indian is the largest tribe in North America, how did their culture develop over time and where are they today in regards to modern times?

recruit 200 Navajos. In May 1942, the first 29 Navajo recruits attended boot camp. Then, at

For instance, in response to the 800 flawless messages transmitted by Navajos at Iwo Jima, Major Howard Connor- who was the signal officer of the Navajos at Iwo Jima- said, “Were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima” (“Navajo- Unbreakable Code”). The third Amphibious Corps was thought to have been the ones to report that, during Guam and other missions, the Navajo were “considered indispensable for the rapid transmission of classified dispatches” (Paul, 69). Besides transmitting vital information, the Code Talkers sometimes transmitted “dummy” messages (Takaki, 52). These false messages drove the enemy crazy, trying to decipher them, but getting nowhere (Takaki, 52). Meadows even puts forth the idea that if the Navajo and Comanche Indian communication units had been expanded, the war may have even been shortened (Meadows, “Comanche”, 50). As stated by Campbell, “In the year 2000, Federal legislation was enacted to award Congressional Gold Medals to the Navajo code talkers for their contribution to America’s victory over the Japanese Empire in World War II” (qtd. in “Hearing”). According to Tim Johnson, “There is no doubt that the bravery and the courage of the Navajo code talkers helped to make the United States the free and proud place it is today” (qtd. In “Hearing”). To an extreme extent,

War was brutal and tiring, and soon both sides were finished fighting, but unable to admit defeat. A Indian agent negotiated a peace contract with the New Mexicans and Americans, and the Americans and a Navajo headsman signed the contract. An issue with this contract was there was more than one Navajo tribe, and the headsman who signed the contract only spoke for his group. The rest of the Navajo groups had no contract they were obligated to, and continued about their raids.

The United States solution was a new code. They came up with using the unique Native American language as code. Since Native Americans were the only people who knew their language it was

The Navajo, also known as the Diné, are one of the largest Native American Tribes in the world. Their culture is made up of very distinct and unique characteristics that have been passed down from generation to generation. They have been taught to adapt to their surroundings and to the land. Each moral, standard, belief and value are what make the Navajo so unique to the Native Americans. In the following, their primary mode of subsistence, kinship system, beliefs, values, and economic organizations will be briefly examined to gain a better knowledge of the Navajo culture.

A large portion of America’s victory in World War II is owed to the Navajo Indians, because of their use of code talking. The previous codes used by the United States were either able to be decoded by enemies or they required strenuous coding and decoding on both sides. The Navajo’s language proved to be a tremendously great tool that aided The United States in World War II because it could be decoded quickly, contrary to other coding systems, and because it provided a secure way of communicating, that very few, even on the American side could understand.

Naturally, the members of the U.S Military were uneasy that the Germans would crack the code. Luckily, they didn't. The Navajo language was rarely written and most only knew it because they had grown up on a reservation or had parents to teach them. A hesitant lieutenant decided to test it before actually allowing them to be transmitted in combat.

During WWII the U.S Military needed to send reliable, rapid and secure code messages. The messages were coded in Native language. The Navajo and Comanche communication was unbreakable, saving the lives of an unknown number of American sailors and troops. The code talkers needed to create words for many specialized military terms. In 1941, the U.S Army recruited Comanche, Comanche was an unwritten language and potentially useful. The Comanche transmitted places and names. In 1942, the "First 29" Navajo Marines created a code to coordinate movement of men and artillery. In a similar way to the Comanche code talker, they used short and easy words that described military terms. The Navajo code compilation grew by the end of the war. A code talker

The world view of the Navajo who had lived for many centuries on the high Colorado Plateau was one of living in balance with all of nature, as the stewards of their vast homeland which covered parts of four modern states. They had no concept of religion as being something separate from living day to day and prayed to many spirits. It was also a matriarchal society and had no single powerful leader as their pastoral lifestyle living in scattered independent family groups require no such entity. This brought them repeatedly into conflict with Spanish, Mexicans and increasingly by the mid-nineteenth century, Americans as these practices were contrary to their male dominated religiously monolithic societal values. The long standing history

The Navajo Indians emulated the pueblo. The shed their animal skin clothing for cotton and learned quickly how to farm. These people settled in between the Rio Grande and the Grand Canyon. They herded sheep and grew corn in the valleys. They were a peaceful group of people, and were one with their surroundings.