Navajo code Talkers

February 16, 2017

Text-dependent Questions		Evidence-based Answers
How was Hawthorne’s knowledge of Navajo helpful to him as a code talker? (Page 91)		Harthorne’s knowledge of the Navajo language helped him because if while he was young he spoke english all the time he’d slowly forget about his language and be more useless than helpful as a code talker. Since he never stopped speaking his language even though the U.S. school strictly forbid it, he grew up his entire childhood speaking his language on the Navajo reservation, learning more navajo words and customs at home and not giving up his language at school, he knew the language thoroughly for the war. A-keh-di-glini!
Compare the experiences of the code talkers with Navajo language when they were young, and later when they were in the Marine Corp. (Pages 90-91)		The text said that: “Harthorne lived on a Navajo reservation”, which would mean that while he was young, he lived a pretty dull, unexciting life for a Navajo. The text also states that: “However, the Navajos devised a code that worked extremely well.” That would mean that Navajos like Harthorne were now leading an exciting military life as code talkers, very unusual for a Navajo. Ne-he-mah!
Why was the use of difficult codes so important in WW II? (Pages 91-92)		If they didn’t use a good code during WW II the Japanese would decipher the code and use it to listen in on American plans so that they could know what to do when we attacked and have their troops protected and ready to counter attack. Jay-sho!
Why was Navajo a good language to use for a code? (Pages 93-94)		The Navajo language is a good language for the code because it is difficult for anyone non-Navajo to understand and besides, even though many Japanese people were studying Native American languages, Navajo remained a mystery to them. Plus, even if they learned the language, it was still in code. That is the answer to your question.
How did recruiters find men to become code talkers? What were some of the challenges in implementing this plan? (Pages 94-95)		This is how recruiters found Navajos to become code talkers. The text states: “To find Navajos to enlist in the Marines’ code program, recruiters traveled to the Navajo reservation.” That would mean that the recruiters went to the Navajo reservation and convinced some Navajos to join them. Klizzie-yazzie.
Using the code on page 97, how might you write your name in Navajo?		In Navajo code, my name is: Na-as-tso-si Wol-la-chee Dzeh (mouse ant ellk). A funny thing is, the word fox is ma-e, and my name is mae! MA-E!!!!
How was the code developed? What special characteristic about Navajo knowledge influenced the words that were chosen? (Pages 96-98)		The code was developed by a group of Navajos who were put into a room for that very purpose. The text states that: “Even among ourselves, we didn’t agree on all the right words”. That means that even the Navajos had trouble coming up with a code. The Navajo’s special kindness and patience helped them create the code.
How did the code talking program change over time? (Page 99)		In the beginning, the code had about 200 words, but by the end of the war, the code had about 600 words. The Marine Corps leaders were so pleased with the code that from the original 29 code talkers there grew to be about 400 code talkers.
What were some requirements and skills that code talkers had to develop? (Page 99)		The text states: “The code talkers had to memorize the entire code before being shipped out for active duty.” Can you imagine having to do that? I mean, sure, when you were little you learned your Native language, but imagine knowing your language all your life and then suddenly changing it AND being asked to memorize it? Mind-blowing. (Ka-blam-o!) _\\|/_ /\|\
What were some of the challenges of the battlefield? (Pages 100-101)		Challenge # 1. The radios were so big and bulky that they were hard to carry. Challenge # 2. The air was so filled with gunfire that they had to fit themselves and their radios in pits and fox-holes.
What happened later after the war to the Navajo code talkers? Explain why the Code Talkers were not recognized for their contributions to the war effort until much later. Explain why they did not get any recognition or thanks after the war. (Pages 102-103)		This is what happened later after the war to the Navajo code talkers. After the war, the code talkers were sent back to their reservation, to go about business as usual. The code talkers weren’t recognized for their contribution in the war for awhile because if it had to be used in future conflicts, then getting the Navajo C.T. immediately rewarded, the Japanese and other places that might go to war could/would study the code and be ready for a war because they knew the code. They were recently recognized because the code wasn’t good enough for modern times and some of the C.T. were dead.

What can we infer about the use of the Navajo language on the medals? (Page 103)		We can infer that whoever decided how to make the medal thought that we should use some Navajo to remind them of what they are being rewarded for.