Windtalkers [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

In steps two native Navajo indians : 'Ben Yahzee' & 'Charlie Whitehorse'. Two marines called in to be used as codetalkers in the vital pacific battles. The Japanese were unable to decipher their native toungue and so were a great weapon for America. Joe finds out it his job to protect the 'code'. To his disappointment he acts as a bodyguard to Yahzee. But if he falls into enemy hands , Joe's job is to protect the 'code', in otherwards kill Yahzee.

The other marine assigned to protect Whitehorse is 'Anderson'. Both marines are musically talented and interact quickly. However Joe keeps a fair distant from Yahzee and only communicates when he has to. He doesn't want to get to close to a marine he may have to kill, he is already haunted by the marines that died brutally under his command when he was following strict orders on Guadacanal. Yahzee feels like an outsider , bullied by the other marines because of his race. Yahzee only finds comfort in his old friend Whitehorse. Yahzee is determined to befriend Joe and can't understand why he's so robotic and distant to him...

This is truely a brilliant read before the motion picture is released. All the characters are so interesting: Joe, the war-torn confused marine who lives in the past and feels sorry for himself all the time. Yazhee, the young intelligent soldier, very modern Navajo indian who's looking for a friend in Joe, with his wife and baby boy back home. Anderson, the lovable, funny , easy going guy who is the only guy who can share Joe's top secret mission. And Whitehorse the old traditional Navajo who believes strongly in his culture and religion, and gels well with Anderson.

The characters development between Joe & Yahzee and their relationship together is amusing at times, and interesting to read. The battle sequences on Saipan however are rather disturbing at times, and violent and very dramatic and exciting.

The end is unpredictable and brought a tear to my eye. Very moving and emotional ending. This book pays tribute to the brave soldiers and Navajo codetalkers especially, and feel they should be recognised for the vital role in the pacific...

Great book.

To begin with, they have jazzed up the actions of the Navajo codetalker. Instead of showing what they mainly did -- sending coded messages about important logistics, intelligence, and operations functions -- we are shown them as code-talking basic artillery fire missions at small-unit level. I guess it is more exciting to have them screaming the Navajo code for, "We need fire support, now!!!" than reciting, "We need 3000 howitzer shells within three days."

For the most part this is unojbectionable pulp -- barely edited (Marines wear "boondoggers"?).

The book takes us from the jungles of Guadalcanal to the months of preparation for the invasion of Saipan. We learn that the Indians have dignity and pride and love of family. After reading the book I had an obsessive desire to see the movie. The movie was good, but the book was better.