CODE WORDS

 

A few months before the Japanese invaded Guam in December of 1941, two Chamorros in Hagåtña were talking.

One was a Chamorro gentleman who had been born in Saipan but who moved to Guam as a young adult.  He knew both the German and Japanese times in Saipan.  Besides his own insight into Japanese plans for the future, communication with relatives still in Saipan may have added to his premonitions.

He told a Chamorro woman, born and raised on Guam, "Fanhongge, siempre man zinozori hit."

"Believe it, we will surely be wearing zori."

Zori, or Japanese-style slippers, were not used on Guam much before the war.

Perhaps being careful lest he be considered a Japanese sympathizer, he used code words to tell the lady that sooner or later Guam would be overrun by the Japanese.