Navajo Code Talkers: The Epic Story

Presented in an agreeable, PBS-formula style documentary, this video chronicles the little-known story of the Navajo Indian code talkers during WW II, and how their unique, non-written language assured secure communications during some of the most important battles in the war's history. The program begins with a brief but somewhat over-long history of the American Indian and, in particular, the Navajo. Then, using FDR's Pearl Harbor declaration of war speech as a starting point, voice-over narration examines the creative idea of Philip Johnston to use Navajo Indians as code talkers to confound the Japanese. Archival photographs, action battle footage, and classic movie footage is interspersed with on-screen commentary by surviving Navajo code talkers and historians to show their contributions to the war effort. In 1942, 30 Navajos were inducted into the Marines for communications training. By 1945, they had proven themselves in battle and there were over 400 on the battlefield. Using their non-written language as a base, the code-talkers devised a unique code using commonplace words for battlefield terminology, making bulky code books unnecessary and eliminating translation. The code talkers contributed, in a large part, to major victories in the Pacific, including Guadalcanal, Midway, Tarawa and New Britain Island. This is an excellently paced, well-produced program, that should be a part of every in-depth WWII video collection. Highly recommended. (J. Scholtz)