NAVAJO CODE TALKERSLynn Trowbridge & Katie Russell

Phillip Johnston Son of a missionary to a Navajo Tribe Fluently spoke the Navajo Language Believed that because Navajo is an

unwritten language and would be unintelligible to anyone except another Navajo

Johnston’s Idea Navajo Code Talkers

program was established September 1942

Johnston recommended the program to Major General Clayton P. Vogel

Said it could guarantee communications security

Who are the Navajo Code Talkers? Young Navajo men Sheepherders and farmers Recruited and drafted by Army, Navy, Marines The average age was 16 Underwent intense basic training After basic training they completed extensive training in

communications and memorizing the code

The Code Used everyday tribal language to convey

messages Some developed and used special codes

based on their languages 29 original Navajo Code Talkers created

the original code Consisted of 200 terms Short and concise so they could confuse

the enemy

Understanding the Code

Only 200 terms Used and combined

standard native words to create new terms for military and equipment

Ex: chay-da-gahi meant tank

Created an innovative alphabet

The Code Talkers had to translate the Navajo word into it’s English counterpart

Then they took the first letter of the English word

Ex: Woo-la-chee meant ant and represented the letter A

Beginning of the War During the War

Special Code Words Had to develop

special words for World War II military terms

Types of planes, ships, and weapons

Given picture charts so they could see the items

After looking at the pictures they would come up with words that fit the pictures

Sending Messages They had to know how to operate both

wire and radio equipment Had to know how to set up and maintain

electronic communication wires Given the message in English and they

didn’t write them down They then translated the message and

sent it to another code talker

Location of Code Talkers World War II Pacific Theater 1942-1945 Participated in the major battles in the

Pacific Ex: Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Saipan ect.

The Need for Code Talkers Japanese possessed

an elite group of well trained English speaking soldiers

Intercepted US messages and interpreted

Sabotaged the message or issued falste commands to ambush US troops

Too avoid interpretation, the military started creating extremely complex codes

Took too long to decode a single message

Success The Navajo Code Talkers were successful

because their new codes confused the Japanese

The Japanese had only studied English and had no idea what to do with the Navajo language

They had no idea what it was Also, with the new code, messages got through

faster because the code talkers understood each other

No more complex codes

References "Navajo Code Talkers." U.S. Senate Jeff Bingaman: Democrat from New

Mexico. Web. 04 Apr. 2011. <http://bingaman.senate.gov/features/codetalkers/call.cfm>.

"NMAI Codetalkers." National Museum of the American Indian. Web. 04 Apr. 2011. <http://www.nmai.si.edu/education/codetalkers/>.

People's Paths Home Page!" - History - Navajo Code Talkers." "the People's Paths Home Site!" North American Indian & Indigenous People! Web. 04 Apr. 2011. <http://yvwiiusdinvnohii.net/history/usmccode.htm>.

"The Code Talker Story." The Offical Website of the Navajo Code Talkers. Web. 4 Apr. 2011. <http://www.navajocodetalkers.org/code_talker_story/>.