Navajo Code Talkers (edition 1994)

Ok book that related the WWII Navajo code talkers to the events of the time. I thought that it spent too much time on history and not enough on the men who made it. A whole chapter, for instance, was dedicated to the Japanese attempts to break US code. That seemed to be not the subject of this book. ( )

There are still a few Code-Talkers alive today (2011) and they make their yearly appearances at the tribal celebrations which often include a street parade. This book chronicles the wartime need for cryptographers and the use of the the Navajo men for combat communications. This book is geared for young adults, but the writing is actually at a much higher level. The content would be challenging for any middle or high school student. The Code-Talkers were used, in this book, in the Pacific Theatre on the island battles with the Japanese. This book credits the Code-Talkers with saving countless American lives by frustrating the Japanese in their search for decipherable and actionable US messages. The Code-Talkers are revered among the Navajos themselves but this book highlights their contributions to all Americans. This small group of neglected service men find their place among the many brave people who contributed to the victory in the Pacific and the end of the Second World War. ( )

An informative look into the history of the World War II Navajo Code Talkers. They were in charge of sending messages between American troops in their native language to avoid being decoded by the Japanese. They were a part of the United States Marine Corps. This book includes actual pictures, bibliography and index.