The Navajo Code Talkers

For my research paper, I wrote about whether or not the Navajo Code Talkers should have been given more credit. I chose this topic because not many know about the Navajo Code Talkers, including myself. I thought it be interesting to learn more about them. The Navajo Code Talkers consisted of Navajos from Navajo Nation who were fluent in both Navajo and English. These communicators took part in the Pacific of World War II from 1942 to 1945. At the time, the Japanese were skilled at cracking codes and had deciphered every code the Americans had used. For this reason, the Americans needed to develop an unbreakable code. This is where the code talkers came in. Philip Johnston, who grew up in the Navajo Reservation, proposed to the Marine Corps that they should use Navajo as a code language in 1942 since it was only spoken by people who lived with Navajos. After the code proved to be unbreakable by code-breaking specialists, the code talkers were involved in many battles like the Battle of Guadalcanal and Battle of Iwo Jima. The Battle of Guadalcanal was a very important battle for both the Navajos and the US because it was United States’ first victory and Japan’s first defeat. While they were indispensable at Guadalcanal, they were even more indispensable at Iwo Jima because were if it were not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima. Overall, the code talkers should have been given more credit at the time because they contributed a great deal to US’s victories in World War II.