The Navajo Code Talkers played a crucial role in the outcome of World War II. Their code couldn’t be deciphered by anyone, not even by Japanese code breakers. They were stationed at various places throughout the war. Not only was the code significant to how battles were fought, the messages determined how many lives could be lost during battle. Navajo Code Talkers started getting recruited in 1941-1942 by the Marine Corps. There were originally thirty Code Talkers recruited but one dropped out, leaving twenty-nine Navajos to develop a code. The code was developed only two weeks after recruitment and thus, the Code Talking school was formed. As the war continued, more than four hundred Navajos were recruited. Many people enlisted, but a lot …show more content…
One was called Type Two Code. This type of code was made up of messages that were translated into the Native language. The other code was called a Type One Code. This code was based on Navajo, Comanche, Hopi, and Meskwaki languages. Since the code was based primarily off of the Navajo language, the code had a Navajo word for every letter of the English alphabet. The words were typically animals or things found in nature (moasi, which means cat, was the word used for the letter “c”) Special code words were also developed. They had words to describe a type of plane, ships, and even weapons. Astá, the Navajo word for eagle, was used to describe transport …show more content…
They were awarded medals and patches during and shortly after the war for their service. Some of the awards included Purple Hearts, Silver Stars, and Combat Infantry Badges. It wasn’t until 1968 when they finally declassified the program. In 2000, the United States honored the Code Talkers with Congressional Medals. Gold Congressional Medals were given to the original 29 Code Talkers and silver medals were given to those who served later in the war. The medals included a message on the back written in the Navajo language that translates to “With the Navajo language they defeated the
These code talkers were instrumental because they could communicate in their own language, something the Japanese could not figure out. Many Indians were able to leave the reservations and join the war effort by taking jobs in different war industries. Many did not return to the reservations after the war, once they were exposed to urban life. For the first time, many were able to attend college due to the GI bill.
However many soldiers who came back from the war subsequently faced post traumatic stress disorder resulting in alcoholism and death. The Navajo code talkers did not receive any services recognizing their work during ww2. Only in 2001 did the surviving members original Navajo men receive the congressional gold medal for their
The Borinqueneers: 65th Infantry Regiment in the Korea War In recent years, the world has been captivated by the history of heroism and sacrifice that represent the Borinqueneers. This 65th Infantry Regiment from Puerto Rico had to fight prejudice during their active service, but they became a lesson to the Latino-American community and other U.S. military segregated units. According to U.S. history (Bystran, 2016), the 65th Infantry Regiment Borinqueneers were the largest, longest standing, and only active duty segregated latino unit. In fact, they are the last segregated unit in combat.
During WWII Japanese-Americans and prisoners of war were sent to camps. Two of those people that were sent to camps were Louie Zamperini and Miné Okubo. Louie Zamperini was drafted to go to war when he was young. He was on a mission to find a missing plane when his own plane crashed in the ocean. He was later captured by the Japanese and sent to a POW camp.
During World War II (WWII) in the South Pacific, more than 110,000 Americans were killed and another 250,000 were injured. Americans soldiers were not used to the climate, geography, or the style of fighting. The Japanese began intercepting and easily decoding the American messages. It became even more difficult to fight the Japanese and the American casualties kept building up. Because of the courage and dedication to America exhibited by the Navajo code talkers, WWII ended faster and with less casualties than if the Marines had used only traditional codes and coders.
Throughout the war there were several crucial purposes that the Navajo Code Talkers and those who aided them were able to fulfill, and even though the code talkers didn’t know their special assignments at first, they still participated voluntarily. Navajo Code Talkers and other Native Americans mainly served in the same military units as white soldiers, since they did not fit into the all black units that were available. In addition to being assigned to white units, they were also required to go through basic training, boot camp, and eight weeks of intensive code training. In a June 1943 Arizona Highway magazine article, it states that, “The Navajo was born in the saddle, is inured to hardship, and with the will to fight, which all Navajos
They were recognized until decades later. Most of the Code talker now, have passed away and didn’t get honored. One of the Navajo Code Talkers Chester Nez was awarded Audie Murphy award. In 2000, Congress passed legislation to honor the Navajo Code Talkers with gold and silver medals. “Many Code Talkers earned medals, such as Purple Hearts, Silver Stars, Good Conduct Medals, Combat Infantry Badges, during and after the war”(Code Talking).
Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac is about Ned Begay, a Navajo code talker during World War II. Ned faced two life changing events that shapes who he is. First is his move to an American boarding school that forces him to act like someone else, later he becomes a Navajo code talker with even more hardships to face. During these pivotal events, Ned experiences similar situations that I have been through. Ned was living peacefully on the Indian reservations until he has to go American boarding school hundred miles away.
His cultural aspects and renewed self-worth are grown by the war and help him along the way. Ned’s cultural Navajo identity is affected by World War II. For example, Ned says that he, "Pray[s] that none of you have to go to battle as I did. I also pray that you will fight to keep our language, to hold on to it with the same warrior spirit that our Indian people showed during that war.” (214) Ned’s language is an important aspect of his culture.
Code talker, by Joseph Bruchac is a book in which talks about a young mans life. The book is ideally meant to be for his grandchildren to read later on in the future. The author, Joseph talks about a young Navajo’s story and the battle he had to go through before and after the World War. Kii Yazhi, the main character, is courageous, Intelligent, and determined. His mother in the book is acknowledged as “mother” she is a sweet lady and caring about her son as well as the other Navajo people.
It also covered military ranks which would often just describe the symbol of the rank. Captain was BESH-LEGAI-A-LAH-IH, literally “two silver bars”. For words that have no Navajo translation for it, they spelled it out using code words. It was used in six marine divisions including Raider Battalions, and Parachute Units.
In the Code Talkers, Ned learns American ways and goes to serve in World War Two by being a Code Talker. In the novel, it shows the ability to find strength and courage through one's culture. The four examples I choose was Ned not wanting to forget his language, doing the Blessingsway ceremony, working hard/not giving up, and learning self-confidence as a marine. When Ned was in boarding school the teachers would punish Navajo children if the spoke Navajo. For some, the punishment was bad enough that it was hard to speak Navajo, but for Ned, it made him not want to forget it.
Ultimately, the Navajo, who at one time were forbidden to speak their own language by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, used that language to help the United States win the war. Eventually the 382nd platoon was created specifically for Navajo code talkers.(Pash) The Navajos served in all six marine divisions, taking part in every assault the
(FIOM, 85) The huge corporation, the Adolph Coors Corporation, which symbolically represents white America's economic power, is promoting a contest that involves loads of drinking. Furthermore, if one could spell out the word that represents Native American suffering best, 'RESERVATION', he is awarded the grand prize of a trip back to the time when the earliest settlers colonized North America. So much can be seen in this brief passage: Alexie establishes the awful results of the historical abuses brought on by the introduction of European goods to Native American culture as he illustrates the power and control of the colonizers over the Native
They felt that this country was taken away from them by the white man and should not be required to help in the case of attack, but when war was declared against the Axis powers, The Navajo Nation declared: “We resolve that the Navajo Indians stand ready… to aid and defend our government and its institutions against all subversive and armed conflict and pledge our loyalty to the system and a way of life that has placed us among the greatest people of our race” (Takaki 60). Altogether forty-five thousand Indians served in the U.S. armed forces. Despite this, Indian workers received lower pay that that of whites, In the cities, Indians also experienced discrimination. Ignatia Broker of the Ojibway wrote “Although employment was good because of the labor demand of the huge defense plants, Indian people faced discrimination in restaurants, night clubs, retail and department stores… and worst of all, in housing” (Takaki