Comments on: Navajo Code Talkers

By: Wes

Wes — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:32:02 +0000

Well explained, xTivo. Apparently, Jim thinks that either the Axis was incredibly stupid or the war was only a few hours long.

By: xTivo

xTivo — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:06:18 +0000

@Jim

Once the Japanese knew the language was being used, they would have deployed translators to intercept the transmissions. If we used a polish code, they would have had men in the field who could speak polish. The Navajos were effective because the Japanese COULD NOT FIND someone who could speak the language.
On a side note, Windtalkers is a pretty decent movie that deals with the code talkers.

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By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:09:54 +0000

Weren't code talkers used in close combat situations and not for transmitting strategic information ? You really think that the average Japanese soldier on say Iwo Jima was walking around with a Japanese/Italian dictionary and even had the time to open it up and decode information as the battle raged ? I'm guessing not many Japanese units on Okinawa had Polish translators either. Come on.

By: Wes

Wes — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:06:30 +0000

Incidentally, I was lucky enough to meet one of the code talkers on a casual walk when I was visiting the Navajo capital at Window Rock, Arizona a couple of years ago.

He kindly spoke some of the language for me, but I stupidly hit the wrong button on my voice recorder and didn't get it on tape.

By: Wes

Wes — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:03:59 +0000

Jim, do you think there were no Japanese who were bilingual? The first paragraph should have summed it up for you:

"The Navajo language is incredibly complex, with syntax, tonal qualities and dialects that render it unintelligible to outsiders. A spoken language, it has no alphabet or symbols, and is used only in remote Navajo areas of the American Southwest."

Only the code talkers knew the language. The Japanese didn't have any code talkers.

By: meta5

meta5 — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:33:44 +0000

Jim,

Can you find a dictionary for Italian, Polish, Spanish, or Gaelic?

So could the Japanese.

By: YBear

YBear — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:30:48 +0000

@pwscott - Members of other tribes were also used. Navajo was the first and largest implementation.

By: SpookyM

SpookyM — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:15:01 +0000

For those fluent in the language, can you tell me what are the Navajo words for 'merchandise' or 'vaccinations'?

By: pwscott

pwscott — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:23:25 +0000

With all the Native Americans available during WWII, I'm surprised only Navajo was used. Someody let Jim know that the German army was riddled with Polish and Italian soldiers.

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:14:26 +0000

Always a neat story, however- with all say the Italian-Americans and Polish-Americans that served wouldnt it have been easier to use men speaking those languages ? Im sure the Japanese would have been as easily foiled.