Unsung Heroes of World War II: The Story of the Navajo Code Talkers
Grade 6 Up-This book presents readers with a fine combination of Navajo history and culture and background information about World War II in the Pacific. In historical terms, the story of the Code Talkers is a recent one as it was kept secret for many years after the war. Durrett describes the establishment of the program from its inception through declassification and the official recognition of the Code Talkers' contributions. The well-written text examines the failures, successes, and problems that the program encountered from training the first group of Marines until the war's end. It also stresses the fact that the Navajo developed the code themselves rather than just using the language as it is normally spoken. Sidebars add interest and details to the text. Maps and vintage photos are well placed and fully documented. One minor flaw appears; the text states that President Roosevelt declared war on Japan; legally, only Congress can declare war. This title is similar to Nathan Aaseng's Navajo Code Talkers (Walker, 1992), but it focuses more on the individuals who were part of the original 29 Code Talkers while still presenting an overview of the whole subject. It's a definite purchase for World War II shelves, especially if the collection does not include Aaseng's title.Eldon Younce, Harper Elementary School, KSCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.