The Navajo Code Talkers The Navajo Code Talkers performed a role that changed the outcome of World War II. With Britain on the verge of complete destruction due to constant bombings, and with France about to surrender, U.S. intervention was necessary for the greater good of world against fascism of Germany, Italy, and Japan. The Navajo Code provided the U.S. with strategic advantage to combat the Axis Powers and aided in numerous victories. While it was not the first of its kind to be used in U.S. army, it left a lasting impression on the history of warfare and the events of the twentieth century. The Navajo code was not the first of its kind to be used in American warfare. Preceding it was the Choctaw code during World War I. The Choctaw …show more content…
In Johnston’s experience in the army, Johnston witnessed directly the advantage Native American languages can provide the U.S. in warfare. He grew up at a Navajo reserve in Kansas while his parents worked there as missionaries. In the course of his childhood, Johnston became fluent in the Navajo language (Wepman). Before enlisting in the army, he even served as an interpreter between the Navajo leaders and President Theodore Roosevelt (Wepman). During World War II, communications between the Allied Powers, France, Britain, and the U.S., was a matter of contention. This issue arose because the Japanese was skilled in cracking codes due to the fact that many soldiers in the Japanese army were educated in the U.S. and were fluent in English to the point where many of them were familiar with colloquial terms and even slang (Wilsont). Due to this dilemma, Johnston proposed the idea of using the Navajo language as code to Lieutenant Colonel Jones. At first, Jones was skeptical since no cipher was completely secure but Johnston’s graphic presentation persuaded Jones to believe otherwise. Initially, the Navajo code was thought by the U.S. army as something temporary, since they thought that in a matter of time, the Japanese would crack the code (Code Talking). This perception, however, proved to be false as the Japanese and their allies, Germany and Italy, were never able to decipher the Navajo Code up until the release of code a quarter century after the end of the