20th-century warfare: Unique contributions of American Indians

In this lesson, high school students will assess the importance and contributions of the American Indian in the United States' twentieth century wars. They focus in particular on the Navajo Code Talkers.

A lesson plan for grades 11–12 Social Studies

By John B. Jones

Learn more

• Native Words, Native Warriors This exhibit from the National Museum of the American Indian provides the stories and images of the Navajo Code talkers who used their native language as a way to communicate secret battle plans between U.S. military forces during World War II.

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Related topics

• Learn more about American Indians, American history, Navajo Code Talkers, Navajo Indians, social studies, and war.

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Introduction

Students will learn about the role of native code talkers in World War I through the Vietnam War. Using copies of a Navajo Code dictionary, students will create a coded message to a partner in the class. Messages will be decoded and read in class by the receiver. To wrap up the lesson, students will write an essay explaining the American Indians’ dedication to military service, the significance of the Navajo Code as a weapon of war, and the lack of recognition of American Indians after World War II.

Learning outcomes

Students will:

• Understand the importance of secure communication codes in war
• Understand the significance of the Navajo Code especially in World War II Pacific theater operations
• Understand and develop an appreciation of the simple, yet complex, nature of the code and the frustration of the Japanese attempting to decrypt it
• Form an opinion as to why Americans Indians served so well despite prejudice and bias
• Form an opinion about the government’s lack of recognition for the Navajo and all American Indian code talkers after the war

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

Three 45-minute classes

Materials/Resources

• Pencil/pen and paper
• Video: Navajo Code Talkers
• Copies of Navajo Code Talkers’ Dictionary from the Naval Historical Center website
• Copies of veteran interviews and quotations found through the National Museum of the American Indian’s online feature called Native Words, Native Warriors

Technology resources

Computer/Projector (or DVD player)

Pre-Activities

Students should have detailed knowledge of the Pacific Theater island-campaign geography and be familiar with the tactics and strategies of both the United States and the Japanese military during World War II.

Activities

1. The teacher or a historian will tell the “story” of the American Indian code talkers during World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The speaker should focus in particular on the Navajo Code Talkers as an example of the contribution of Native Americans in America’s twentieth century conflicts.
2. Students will be given copies of American Indian veteran interviews and quotations to read for homework after first class.
3. The teacher will explain to students that they will be watching a video that will relate the story of the Navajo Code Talkers in intimate detail. Students will need to take notes for the upcoming assignment. The teacher will pause the video at key components to explain the significance of information.
4. The teacher will distribute copies of Navajo Code dictionary. The students will create coded messages to a partner in the class. Messages will be decoded and read in class by the receiver. This activity will help students appreciate the simple, yet complex, nature of the code.
5. The teacher will lead a discussion about the history of the code talkers, the effects of the Navajo Code on the second world war, and the absence of recognition for the code talkers once the war was over.
6. For homework, students will write an essay answering the following questions:
   1. Why were American Indians so dedicated to military service even though they had suffered upheaval and discrimination from European Americans for the past 200 years?
   2. What was the significance/contribution of the code as a weapon of war?
   3. Why were World War II code talkers largely ignored after the war?

Assessment

• Evaluate essays against the information provided through class activities.
• Gauge student participation in class discussions.

Supplemental information

• The Navajo Code Talkers (25th Anniversary Edition) by Doris A. Paul
• The Comanche Code Talkers in World War II by William C. Meadows
• Philip Johnston and the Navaho Code Talkers by Syble Lagerquist