ab wed. The lives of the people of the Marshall Islands have been irreversibly changed by the U.S. nuclear bomb tests. GirF JOHNSON Micronesia: America’s ‘strategic’ trusi (n August 6. 1945, the B-29 Enola the Marshalls went to Bikini in Fevruary. he toid the people that Amenbombs that would kill over 200.000 can scientists were exXpermenting neople in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. with nuclear weapons “‘for the good Within months the United States of mankind and to end all world Cegan searching for sites tar from wars.’ He promised that their atoll American population centers for would be returned after the tests further development and testing of were finished, and asked that they nuciear weapons. The Defense De- consent to be moved to another ispurtment looked to Micronesia in the land. With more than 42.000 mili‘aestern Pacinic, whose 2,000 remote tary. scienufic and technical personisiands have only one-half the land nel. 250 naval ships and more than area of the state of Rhode Island. 150 observation aircraft poised to Easternmost in Micronesia lie the enter Bikim Ato#l for Operation Murshall [siands. about 2.200 miles Crossroads, the 166 Bikinians had southwest of Hawau. Up to the little choice but to leave their isiand. 1940s the Marshall islanders. like Less than two yearslater, in Demost other Micronesians. were self- cember 1947. the Navy decided to surticient. itving off the ocean and use another atoll, Enewetak. for a lard. Though covering a great ex- second senes of atomic tests. The panse of ocean. the Marshalls’ 28 Enewetakese, like the Bikinians, Multi-isiet atolls and five single is- were relocated by the United States Gav dropped the first of two atomic iands comprise only about 70 square quickly and with little planning to mies. The atolls are rings of 15 to as smail, uninhabited atoils. After the relocation of the Marshatlese. however, what happened durng the next [2 vears was that about 70 atomic and hydrogen bomb blasts devastated the islands and trreversibly changed the lives of the people. The Bikinians first moved about 100 miles east to Rongenk. an uninhabited atoll consisting of baraiv one-half square mile of land. Within two months, they expressed anxiety over the atoll’s meager resources and madethe first of many requests to return home. Within a year. the people faced starvation: a visiting Amencan medical officer reported that the Bikinians were “visioly surfenng from mainutntion.” in iS$48 the Bikinians were evacuated to 2 temporary tent city at the Navy base on Kwajalein. Kili Island in the southem Mar- many as 97 islets connected bv a coral reef that encircles a clear blue lagoon. Out of necessity. the Marshallese are traditionally expert Even while the United States was removing the Marshallese from their islands. in July 1947 it was signing the United Nations Trusteeship the tand provides coconuts, breadfruit, pandanus and taro. ronesia). This agreement stated: terized of the Marshallese lived on administenng authority (U.S.] shall: not a farming people. the tsland’s ag- ment and self-sufficiency of the tnforeigners (not even with the habitants. and to this end shall... Japanese during their 25-year occu- encourage the developmentof pation). they relied on the outside fisheries. agriculture and industries; and protect the inhabitants against world for almost nothing. [ronically, this very isolation the loss of their land and resources.” comeits drawbacks. Thus. the Bikinians were forced to adapt to a sompletely alien environment. In early December 1947. Washing- fishermen. deriving most of their Agreement for the U.S. Trust Ternprotein from the rich lagoons. while torv of the Pacific Islands (MicThe most isolated and least wes- “in discharging its obligations. the the northern atolls of Bikini and promote the economic advanceEnewetak. Havinglittle contact with thrust the Bikini and Enewetak In addition, this agreement bound people into the nuclear age. In January 1946, Navy officials in the United States to “promote the Washington, D.C.. announced that social advancement of the inhabiBikini Atoll fitted all requirements far Operation Crossroads. designed tants. and to this end... protect clear weapons on naval vessels. without discnmination; and protect the nghts and fundamental freedoms to test the destructive power of nu- ot all elements of the population When the U.S. military governor of the health of the inhabitants... .” 10 shalls was selected tor their next home. Kili, a single island. has no lagoon or protected anchorage: heavysurf from November until late spring halts fishing and isolates tae island. On the other hand. nvli had once supported a Junanese coora plantation. and U.S. authorities hoped that, while the Bikinians were ricultural possibilities would over- ton officials announced without ere- liminanes, that Enewetak was to be used for the next series of bomt tests. In less than three weeks. the people of Enewetak were relocated to Ujeiang, the westernmost atoil in the Marsnalls. Like Rongesk and Kili it was also urinhabiteu. and for good reason. Ujeiang has only a quarter of the iand area cf Enewetun and its 25-square-mile lagoon :5 less