Chapter 11
Who is Phillip Johnson? Did he develop the idea of using Natives as Code Talkers?
Phillip Johnson was the son of traders and friends with the Navajo Natives. Although he brought his friends to marine officials to show them the Navajo language, he did not create the Native Code.
What is a foxhole? How do they help protect the marines during battle?
A foxhole is a shallow pit on the group dug for shelter in battle. They help provide an invisible hiding spot for marines to hide during the night and do surprise attacks.
True or False: The war allowed for diverse groups of people to join forces for a common goal, beating the enemy.
True, the war allowed for a never-before-used language, like Navajo, to bring Native people to join the war and be recognized as valuable to the U.S.
True or False: Ned and other code talkers did not train well and are unable to handle situations during the battle. Support your evidence.
False, Ned and the other code talkers are extremely well trained. They can react to dangerous battle situations without hesitation.
What was Phillip Johnson’s level of Navajo language? What textual evidence on pages 74-75 supports your statement?
Phillip Johnson only knew “Trader Navajo,” which was not fluent. On page 75 it states, “He did not know our sacred language well enough to do this.”
How does the setting of page 117 affect the plot of the story?
Having the island’s battlefield as the setting of page 117 affected the plot of the story by pushing Ned and the other marines to use their training to survive the initial attack. The setting allows the reader to identify that Ned is well prepared from his lengthy training and is a strong warrior.
Who developed the secret code? What textual evidence on pages 74-75 supports your statement?
The Native Marines were responsible for creating a never-before-made code from scratch. On page 75, Ned states that the “...first-class of twenty-nine Navajo Marines. Just like us, they were brought to Camp Elliott, where they were locked in this same classroom and told to develop an unbreakable code” (p. 75).
Who does Ned save? Did Ned plan to save that individual? What textual evidence supports your statement?
Although there is a lot of chaos going on during battle, Ned is able to save himself and Georgia Boy, by digging a foxhole and carrying him into safety. “Another Marine, close to twice my size, was next to me. I was tying a handkerchief around his arm, which had been wounded by shrapnel. It was Georgia Boy. I hadn’t known he was in the landing craft with me, but it must have been his hand on my shoulder, urging me forward as we hit the beach” (p. 117).
What textual evidence on page 75 supports that Phillip Johnson was not the person who developed the Navajo Code used during the war?
“Some have said that Philip Johnson developed the code and taught it to the Navajos. That is not true. He did not know our sacred language well enough to do this. He was nowhere near Camp Elliott during the summer of 1942 when the code was being created by Navajos” (p. 75).
What textual evidence on page 117 supports the idea that Ned and the other marines have trained well for combat?
“Despite all that confusion, the noise of hostile fire, the sound of men crying out as they were hit by shrapnel and bullets, we kept pushing forward. Our training took over, even though some of us were so confused and afraid that we could hardly think” (p. 117).