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What Are The Implications Of The Navajo Code Talkers Ww2

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The Navajo Code Talkers
Since the beginning of its history, America has always struggled with giving equal rights and equal opportunities to all of its inhabitants. From the freeing of African-American slaves down to giving women the right to vote, minorities and “the white men” have wrestled over the definition of freedom. One example of this ongoing struggle is the recognition of the Navajo Code Talkers and their involvement in World War II. Were these Navajo Code Talkers crucial to World War II, and were they fully recognized for their efforts? The Code Talkers helped change the outcome of World War II in America’s favor, yet the United States failed at fully recognizing the impact that these incredible Navajos had on the Second World War. …show more content…

Not only did they face all of the same problems that any veteran did (like financial disasters, psychological scars, and family tragedies) but they also suffered an array of specific problems due to their status as a minority (Bixler 91). The Navajo Code Talkers had been accustomed to being accepted within the white man’s culture as their brothers during the war, and fully expected the same treatment when they returned home (Bixler 91). This was not the case, however. Upon their return from the frontlines of battle, the Navajos were sent back to their homes without any recognition or reward (Riseman 207). At first, the reasoning behind this was to keep the code classified, the Code Talkers being told that they were not allowed to share any of their experiences or triumphs (Riseman 209). Begay, one of the original 29 Code Talkers, was discharged in 1946 with the space of his Military Occupational Specialty left blank on his discharge papers (Gilbert 176). When he asked, the clerk told him that an officer said to leave the space blank with no questions asked, therefore leaving no record that Begay was an MOS642 Code Talker (Gilbert 176). When their mission was finally declassified in 1968, these heroes tried to tell their valiant stories, only to find that most people, even members of their own family or tribe, didn’t believe them (Riseman 209). Not only were they not recognized for their valor on the battlefield, they were still discriminated against even after risking their lives for their country, which was completely different than the acceptance they felt on the frontlines (Bixler 91). Samuel Holiday, a veteran code talker, was traveling home after being discharged, and was trying to find a place to eat and sleep. As he searched around Flagstaff, white men kept barring him from entering their businesses, saying, “No, no, white

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