"The book is engaging from start to finish, with a well-written text that is enhanced by period photographs and reproductions of significant documents. VERDICT: A valuable work for teens studying Code Talkers and American Indian contributions to the US victory in the Pacific theater." --School Library Journal When the attack on Pearl Harbor propelled the United States into World War II, reliable means of communication were crucial and scarce. With a wealth of knowledge about the English language and its colloquialisms, Japanese cryptographers were deciphering American battle plans at a feverish pace. The US Armed Forces were perplexed, and every moment the dilemma went unsolved resulted in more deaths. Although Native Americans were not aware of it when they responded to the call to protect their homelands, their complex native languages could offer a solution. Many have heard of the role of the Navajo Code Talkers, but less well-known are the Sioux Code Talkers, who used the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota dialects. Serving under General MacArthur, seven Sioux Indian men formed a small unit and were allowed to send coded messages back and forth. They risked their lives sneaking behind enemy lines to gather information and to relay their top-secret messages back to headquarters. Told by the grandniece of John Bear King, who served as a Sioux Code Talker, this comprehensive volume explores the pivotal role that indigenous peoples played in the war. Along with several actual radio messages translated into Lakota, Sioux Code Talkers of World War II is the story of the brave Sioux who put aside a long history of prejudice against their people and joined the fight against Japan.
