Talking with the Wind: Navajo Indians Secret Mission in US Army

During the Second World War, the Navajo Indians were among the most valuable members of the U.S. Army. Each of them was carefully guarded and monitored for their movements. About why Navajo were awarded such privileges, we will tell in our material about this indigenous people of the United States.

Before the arrival of the American colonialists, the Navajos, along with the related peoples of the Atapascians (also called Atabascans) inhabited the semi-desert southwestern territories of the modern United States. Here they were engaged in cattle breeding, agriculture, weaving and pottery. Navajo weaving was learned from the Pueblo people, and have since been so successful in this that woven capes, carpets, blankets and other products have become their hallmark.

But in 1848, after the arrival of the American army on these lands, a relatively prosperous life ended. The Navajos resisted the colonialists, but after the suppression of the next uprising, they were forcibly relocated to arid, unsuitable for living reservations.

During World War II, Navajos were suddenly remembered. The fact is that the Navajo language belongs to tone languages and is considered one of the most difficult in the world. By the way, Navajos are one of the few Native Americans who still retain their native language: more than 60% of Navajos speak their native language. By the time the war began, about 50,000 Navajo Indians were living in the United States, and their language at that time had no written language or alphabet. In addition, the Navajo language has some sounds that are not available in European languages. Due to the incredible complexity and small number of carriers outside the tribe (and at that time about 30 Americans knew the Navajo language in addition to the Navajo themselves), it was suggested that their language be used to develop a secret cipher. In May 1942, 29 Navajos who were engaged in cipher development were already serving in the US Army, and by the end of the war about 400 Navajo cryptographers who called themselves "talking with the wind" were in the army. Navajo radio operators were carefully guarded, and enemy code could not decrypt the code created on the basis of their language. They were successfully used for communication by the English and American sides until the end of World War II. Since 1982, August 14th is celebrated as National Navajo Radio Day.

Today, Navajos, along with the Cherokee Indians, are the largest indigenous peoples in the United States. The number of Navajos is about 250-300 thousand people, most of whom live on the lands of the Navajo Nation reservation in the states of Utah, New Mexico and Arizona. This is a barren desert area of over 60,000 square meters. km with the administrative center at Window Rock in Arizona. It has its own laws and its own rules, and the Navajos living in the Navajo Nation protect their language and cultural elements. The main income of those living on the reservation is money from visiting tourists and selling traditional products. On the territory of the reservation is the famous Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley and other attractions. In addition to the above states, a significant number of Navajos live in the state of Colorado and in California.