The Navajo Code Talkers

by Doris A. Paul

An intriguing account of a select platoon of Marines known as the Navajo Code Talkers, the subject of the upcoming John Woo / Nicholas Cage movie 'Windtalkers.' During World War II, the Navajo Code Talkers devised and employed a secret code using their native tongue, a code which proved totally undecipherable to the enemy, enabling American forces to prevail in the South Pacific. The Navajo Code Talkers is the single most comprehensive account of the contribution of the Navajo native Americans in World War II. It's authentic photos and illustrations have been featured on CBS Television's "An American Portrait" series, and the book itself has been profiled on the ABC Nightly News. It is also among the select 10 perecnt of all books written by white men or women on the native Americans to be chsoen by the Navajos for display in their tribal museum.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War II, American History, Native American, Military Fiction, Biography

184 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1973

Reviews

[Charlie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reveals some of the ways the Navajo code talkers became, as the title suggest, --- WW11 code talkers.
This is an interesting story and some humor thrown in about the way this all came about. It also shows the codes that were used during the war that the Japanese never were able to decode.
The story is good but a bit awkward at times.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative I learned a lot I never knew that the Navajo code talkers existed. Not a pager turn, but historical knowledge.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Read. Brave men that were all hero’s!

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know how to rate this book. The writing is clumsy, so maybe a 3 for just average, but my interest if a 5. So somewhere in between makes it a 4.

Published in 1973, it is obvious that it was written before consciousness of "political correctness," and though the author definitely admires the men she writes about, the language is still a little patronizing. Still, in a review I read, it said it is the only book about the code talkers chosen to be on display in the Navajo Nations Museum in Arizona. So it does have a lot of merit. And of course, the idea to use the language of an Indigenous People tribe as the basis for a code was brilliant. And the fact that the Navajos, despite years of mistreatment by the American government, chose to regard themselves and Americans (which of course they are) and patriotic then did an outstanding job meeting the challenge of the task they were assigned.

The risks were great. For instance, because of their coloration, the Navajos superficially resembled the Japanese and were sometimes mistaken for the enemy. The book did not record that anyone was actually killed by friendly fire, but did describe confrontations. Because radio transmissions were delivered from a stationary spot and the Japanese were quick to identify the location, the transmitters had to be quick to broadcast and then quick to move out lest they be shelled.

One of the highest accolades is that the Japanese were never able to break the code.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0/5.0 - Written from primary sources, this book documents the essential services by members of the Navajo tribe during World War II, when they served as Marines and transmitted important messages in a code derived from the Navajo language. They were especially critical in the battle for Iwo Jima. Their service was not limited to code, though, and they developed a reputation for being some of the toughest men to serve in the Marines. Besides the normal dangers of battle, they also faced the additional threat of being mistaken for a Japanese soldier, and there were more than a few close calls.
Pop Sugar #42: The shortest book (by pages) on your TBR list
Book 87 of 2021

[Caitlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thoughts on the 1973 edition.

I wanted to learn more about the code talkers; this was what was available at my local library. It is to be expected that the language is outdated but it's also true that the final chapters do not admit the injustice of the boarding schools. There are other problems with the book but what's the use in laying them out? The book is written. It's been out there since the late '60s. What would be a better use of one's time would be to request the local library to invest in a more up-to-date book.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the first half of the book was interesting and informative, the second half relied heavily on Native American stereotypes and was definitely a product of it's time with dated information and antiquated ideas. I found it hard to plod through such lines as "where their ancestors once took scalps, the Navajo code talkers took other souvenirs such as buttons, flags, and bayonets."

[David Provost · Rating 3 out of 5]

While written on a high school level, this book does an excellent job of relating the history of a group of young men who made a vital contribution to an Alied victory in the Pacific Theatre. I enjoyed learning more about these true American heroes.

[Christa · Rating 2 out of 5]

A wonderful subject, but a boring and dry book.

[Ann Zweber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting history of an amazing group of people. Strong, smart, dedicated. Perhaps not the most sophisticated writing I have ever read, but it was well-researched.

[Hailee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative

[E. L.]

I really enjoyed this book and learned even more.

[Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative but awkwardly arranged and somewhat dated.

[Elva Paulson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find it a very interesting subject but was disappointed in the book

[Kt · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great pictures, and details of the lexicon used.

[Ujjvala (Vaiju) Bagal - Rahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an important book. I believe it;s one of the first widely available accounts of the contributions of the Navajo code talkers to American victory in WWII. I'd looked forward to reading it ever since I'd heard of these Native American soldiers.

ode-talkers uses primarily firsthand informatio and the actual narrative is significant and substantial. It moves from the initial formation of the code-talker class to the the aftermath of their return home. This book is now a reference in my bookshelf, and I recommend it to anyone else for that purpose.

Unfortunately it is a dull read, due to the clunky, stilted style which obscures the drama and emotion of the events. Someone said it read like a textbook. No, this book is not as well-written as that.
Especially irritating was how normal American idioms were put between quotes, showing the author's uncertainty with her writing skills.

The 3 star-rating is my compromise between the importance and detail in the story, versus the leaden writing.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why didn’t the author properly attribute some personal anecdotes and tragedies to the codetalkers by name?

Yes, it sadly is stilted and even boring at times. The author wasn’t very critical or analytical on her part. Yes, some idioms were reliant on outdated modes of thought and stereotypes regarding indigenous people.

I must add that the brand of humor expressed by the codetalkers is uniquely Navajo. My dad has that sense of humor. It’s part of our Diné culture to go so far as to be facetious when relating stories and jokes. (I can’t joke like that with white people...it’s sometimes really awkward for me and I have to remember I’m not with my own culture.)

[Lani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this book at the Smithsonian and really enjoyed it. It certainly made me want to know more about the experiences of the Navajo, it was a VERY quick read.

[Peter Quesnel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting topic; dry reading.

[Dave Hale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enlightening. Very interesting to learn about these heroes who took up arms to support their country despite injustices of earlier generations.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically a bunch of stories by code talkers. Not exactly what I was expecting.