How the Navajo Code Worked

The Navajo code wasn't a simple substitution cipher, where one letter is replaced with another. Instead, it was a complex system employing both direct translation and code words. Some English words were directly translated into Navajo. However, many military terms didn't exist in the Navajo language, requiring the Code Talkers to be creative.

For terms without a direct translation, they used associations and substitutions. For example, the word "airplane" might be translated to "bird that carries soldiers." This required not only fluency in Navajo but also a deep understanding of both cultures and military terminology. The code was a living language, constantly evolving as new words and situations arose.