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("What if" in History - No. 1) Dec. 21, 1943: NEW YORK TIMES set to publish Navajo code
DFU "what if" in history | Dec. 21, 1943 | Jonathon Risen (fictitious name)

Posted on 12/21/2005 8:54:24 PM PST by doug from upland

Jonathon Risen, New York Times

Dateline: New York

Dec. 21, 1943

In an exclusive interview with a Navajo Indian, the NEW YORK TIMES has learned that Navajo Indians have been forced into service by the U.S. military establishment.

It is shocking that, in the middle of the 20th Century, such abuse of our Native Americans could be taking place without approval of the courts. Neither President Roosevelt nor Secretary of War Stimson has given a public comment or returned a telephone call.

The TIMES has learned that so-called Navajo Code Talkers have been used by our military for secure communications. It can now be reported that they have served all six Marine divisions, Marine Raider battalions, and Marine parachute units, transmitting messages by telephone and radio in their native language. The Japanese have not been able to break the code.

In May 1942, the first 29 Navajo recruits attended boot camp. Then, at Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, California, this first group created the Navajo code. They developed a dictionary and numerous words for military terms. The dictionary and all code words had to be memorized during training.

Once a Navajo code talker completed his training, he was sent to a Marine unit deployed in the Pacific theater. The code talkers' primary job was to talk, transmitting information on tactics and troop movements, orders and other vital battlefield communications over telephones and radios. They also acted as messengers, and performed general Marine duties.

When a Navajo code talker received a message, what he heard was a string of seemingly unrelated Navajo words. The code talker first had to translate each Navajo word into its English equivalent. Then he used only the first letter of the English equivalent in spelling an English word. Thus, the Navajo words "wol-la-chee" (ant), "be-la-sana" (apple) and "tse-nill" (axe) all stood for the letter "a." One way to say the word "Navy" in Navajo code would be "tsah (needle) wol-la-chee (ant) ah-keh-di- glini (victor) tsah-ah-dzoh (yucca)."

Most letters had more than one Navajo word representing them. Not all words had to be spelled out letter by letter. The developers of the original code assigned Navajo words to represent about 450 frequently used military terms that did not exist in the Navajo language. Several examples: "besh- lo" (iron fish) meant "submarine," "dah-he- tih-hi" (hummingbird) meant "fighter plane" and "debeh-li-zine" (black street) meant "squad."

In our next report, we are prepared to name the Navajos who have assisted the Marines, and we will also name the additional personnel who are familiar with the code.

A source has come forward, exclusively to the TIMES, who has delivered to our offices what he purports to be the complete code being used in the South Pacific. If we are able to ascertain that the information is genuine, we will publish the entire code in a special edition next Sunday. It will be available at newsstands everywhere.


TOPICS: Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: enemywithin; navajocodetalkers; newyorktimes; nyt; oldgraylady; patriotleak; traitors; whatif; whatifinhistory
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To: doug from upland
Why in the world are you still awake on the East Coast?

I'm crazy. Plus I slept in til noon... I'm on a self imposed Christmas vacation. :-)

61 posted on 12/22/2005 1:48:22 PM PST by abner (Looking for a new tagline- Next outrage please!- Got it! PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS LOST IN THE USA!)
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Comment #62 Removed by Moderator

To: sarasmom
That you made an insulting inference that you now spin as merely a "question" still stands. Since you appear to have "issues" involving reading comprehension,I must clarify that I did not just call you "stupid".

You either can't read that I didn't post the original or you are a retard. As you figured out my post to you, I have to assume the latter. Note that I didn't call you a retard, I'm just assuming that you are.

I'll not respond to the fact that you were shabby in your initial post to a fellow FReeper, apparently you weren't reared properly (or, again, are simply retarded). Whether your attitude blast was given to the original poster intentionally or not is neither here nor there.

Don't post anything to me unless it is your apology. I recommend that you do the same for the original poster for your initial spate of ugliness.

63 posted on 12/22/2005 6:22:41 PM PST by Triggerhippie (Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.)
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To: Triggerhippie

LOL!
Have fun in the basement.


64 posted on 12/22/2005 7:57:49 PM PST by sarasmom (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.)
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To: Keith in Iowa
My "what if" question is, "If we had media in WW-II acting like we do now, would we in Iowa be speaking German, or Japanese now?".

My guess? German...

65 posted on 12/22/2005 8:06:09 PM PST by GOPJ (War on Christmas? Celebrate the sweetness of forbidden customs -deck the halls with boughs of holly.)
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Sarasmom: I was not given implanted dental cyanide to suicide myself.

That's a pity.

66 posted on 12/22/2005 10:37:24 PM PST by Triggerhippie (Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.)
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To: robowombat

You're right. Didn't want to make the post any larger so I concentrated on the Trib's role. It has ben claimed that William Stephenson head of Brit Intel in NYC (at Rock Center) orchestrated the leak to cajole Hitler into a declaration of war on US. Still does not excuse McCormick's decision to publish the Plan.
Merry Christmas.


67 posted on 12/23/2005 3:43:11 AM PST by xkaydet65 (Peace, Love, Brotherhood, and Firepower. And the greatest of these is Firepower!)
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To: sarasmom
f-t-d, that was a stupid and insulting comment, that denigrates the intelligence of the men who risked their lives, and of those who died, for this country.




I asked a question about the 29 Navajo Code Talkers of WWII (who could send and decipher codes in 20 seconds that would take a machine 30 minutes to decipher- example: 800 messages, free of error in a two day span) ..I did not make a direct comment and, therefore, was answered courteously above by another on the embellishment of said reference by the film itself. The reference to being expendible for "highly classified information" with the sometimes "prejudice" shown by a few of our military on all levels at the time of WWII. Bias did exist only to one who wears rose colored glasses; therefore, effecting the value of said person in this instance. I did not denigrate anyone. I asked a question, as for this reasoning, however, you might consider "stupid".

Remember these Code Talkers were even mistaken for Japanese and taken prisoner and/or fired upon by our own servicemen. They were, furthermore, never recognized for their service until Nixon did so (de-classified). The Japanese believed it was largely because of these Navajos and the survival of their native language that America was able to win this war.



Please accept my wish for you and yours to enjoy a Merry Christmas, despite my being "stupid and denigrating the intel" of our veterans or these patriotic American Navajos [I assume you mean] from your rant. Who ever said they were not heroes? They most certainly were. No dispute there. I strongly support all our service men and women .(Yours seem to be the blasphemous comment).

68 posted on 12/23/2005 5:57:36 PM PST by fight_truth_decay
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Correction above: "Bias did and does still exist; however not to those who continue to wear rose colored glasses"...


69 posted on 12/23/2005 6:02:07 PM PST by fight_truth_decay
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To: sarasmom
Have fun in the "LOL chat-rooms" where "Chat Code" has replaced intelligent and courteous discussion.
God Bless America
70 posted on 12/23/2005 6:06:44 PM PST by fight_truth_decay
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To: fight_truth_decay

I refer you to the original thread
Your #4
#27
55
63
64
68
70
It appears you have a problem dealing with conflicting opinions, along with a lack of reading comprehension skills.
But those inherent limitations do not seem to interfere with your typing skills.
Let me guess, journalism major?


71 posted on 12/23/2005 7:49:52 PM PST by sarasmom (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.)
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To: sarasmom

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year ....do have a journalism background ;)


72 posted on 12/23/2005 8:30:38 PM PST by fight_truth_decay
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To: sarasmom; Triggerhippie
All those posts are not even mine...END Note.

However, I did enjoy reading them. ;)

73 posted on 12/25/2005 6:14:41 AM PST by fight_truth_decay
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To: fight_truth_decay
I refer you to the original thread, again.
Your #4
#27 -mine
55 -yours
63-yours
64-mine
(#66 yours)
68 -yours
70-yours
#71-mine
#72-yours
I reiterate: "It appears you have a problem dealing with conflicting opinions, along with a lack of reading comprehension skills.
But those inherent limitations do not seem to interfere with your typing skills."
Do continue to pat yourself on the back for ...high self esteem.
It is obvious you have nothing else to add to society.
I am sure at least some of those who deal with you daily pray the God who protects fools, grants you his protection. Most of your aquaintances are likely to consign you to your fate, and start actively avoiding contact.
And you will never comprehend why that happened.
74 posted on 12/25/2005 7:28:34 PM PST by sarasmom (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.)
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To: xkaydet65
Actually the week after the Battle of Midway, the right wing anti FDR Chicago Tribune published a story that the victory at Midway was the result of breaking the Imperial Navy's code. FDR's Attorney General advised FDR to do nothing of a legal nature,fearing that criminal action would prove the story as true to the Japanese.

Very true. Thank heavens Jap hubris didn't believe the story. However, FDR's legal advice was good for a limited time. Once we had Japan occupied and the story had been officially admitted - 1950s or early '60s, well before Ultra was announced in the 70s, I don't recall precisely - then any surviving guilty parties could have been charged without harming national security and deserved to have been so charged. There shouldn't be any statue of limitations for such treason any more than for the holocaust butchers. The more important timing is how long their successful trial can deter the next traitor. Hanoi Jane would still be eligible if I had a court.

75 posted on 12/26/2005 10:49:53 PM PST by JohnBovenmyer
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To: fight_truth_decay
Sarasmom is halfway to becoming an idiot-savant. All she has to do is develop a skill/talent/personality. If she could read, or understand what she's reading, it would be a good first step.

I sure hope that Sara isn't the pinhead that her mom is, and that the "stupid, rude, and arrogant" DNA isn't passed any further.

76 posted on 01/03/2006 11:11:58 AM PST by Triggerhippie (Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. <<<Sarasmom is a F'n lunatic - Beware>>>)
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To: Triggerhippie

I understand that that retarded b!tch (Sarasmom) likes "biscuits and mustard, mmm-hmmmm."


77 posted on 01/03/2006 11:13:26 AM PST by Triggerhippie (Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. <<<Sarasmom is a F'n lunatic - Beware>>>)
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