How Their Language Defeated WWII Enemies

The Navajo code talkers played a pivotal role in securing victories during critical battles of World War II, and their code remained unbroken by the end of the war. Unlike a typical encrypted code, the Navajo code was based on an existing language — one that had not yet been written down before the war.

During WWII, the U.S. Marine Corps enlisted members from the Navajo Nation, a Native American group from the southwestern United States, including Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. Their language became the basis of a secure military code. This unwritten language, which was incredibly complex and unique, became the backbone of one of the most effective communication tools during the Pacific Theater of the war. The U.S. Intelligence Community states that the Navajo code allowed for rapid and secure message transmission, enabling codebreakers to translate a message in about 20 seconds compared to the previous 30 minutes required for other codes.

The Birth of the Navajo Code Talkers

The idea for using Navajo as a code originated with Philip Johnston, a child of missionaries who grew up on the Navajo reservation and was fluent in the language. In 1942, with the U.S. military seeking a code for communication, Johnston suggested Navajo due to its complexity and uniqueness. A group of 29 original Navajo recruits, including Chester Nez, set out to develop the code. Eventually, over 400 Navajo men participated in the program, helping with military communication during key battles such as Iwo Jima, where six code talkers sent over 800 messages.

How the Navajo Code Worked

The Navajo code worked by assigning specific Navajo words to military terms, and by using substitutions to further encrypt the message. Nez, one of the original code talkers, described the code as using “everyday Navajo words” to make it memorable. However, it was so unique that even other Navajos who were not code talkers couldn’t decipher the code. For instance, “division” was encoded as “ashih-hi,” meaning “salt,” and “France” was represented by “da-gha-hi,” meaning “bread.”

This cryptographic method proved unbreakable. Despite attempts by the Japanese to decode it, they were unsuccessful. According to Nez, the Navajo code was the only code in modern warfare that was never deciphered by the enemy.

After World War II

Although their work was essential to the war effort, the Navajo code talkers could not reveal their role until decades after the war due to its classification. Their efforts remained unknown until 1968, when the code was declassified. Many of the code talkers, including Peter MacDonald, went on to live relatively quiet lives after the war, working in agriculture or using GI benefits for education. Despite their significant contributions, many faced discrimination, including barriers to voting, military benefits, and public services.

The recognition of their service came slowly. In 1971, President Richard Nixon sent certificates of appreciation to the Navajo Tribal Council. In 1982, President Ronald Reagan declared August 14 National Navajo Code Talkers Day. In 2000, Congress awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to the original 29 code talkers.

The Last of the Navajo Code Talkers

As of recent reports, only two original Navajo code talkers remain alive: Thomas H. Begay and Peter MacDonald. The legacy of the code talkers lives on through books, documentaries, and historical sites dedicated to their extraordinary contributions to the war.

For those interested in learning more, Chester Nez’s memoir, Code Talker: The First and Only Memoir By One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII, and other resources from the Library of Congress provide deep insights into the lives and experiences of the code talkers.

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