DRAFT 1 MARSHALL ISLANDS CHRONOLOGY Jan - Feb 44 ADMINISTRATION LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY The Marshall Islands, administered by Japan since the end to the United States military forces during the Pacific war.' World War I, fall 2 Mar 44 AGREEMENT The government of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islandsj(T.T.) conveys to the U. S. government the exclusive right to the use and occupancy pf EnewetakAtoll for an indefinite period of time for "the sum of ten dollars." (This 1944 date is used in this chronology because the date probably refers to the first agr between a Marshail Islands leader and a U.S. representative, pro first paragraph of this documentidentifies the date of the agree March 1944, but this particular document was drawn uplater, pro term "Trust Territory,” was not used in 1944 for the Marshall Islan and the signers were officials in 1957, not 1944. Subsequent language and signe of the document also indicate the agreement was written later. This agreement w. recorded in the Marshall Islands District Record Book 1, pp. 5, 6, and 7, on June Jan 46 WEAPONTESTING Pacific.* Feb 46 0, 1957.)° U.S. officials select Bikini Atoll for the first U.S. nuclear wefipon tests in the AGREEMENT RELOCATION The military governor of the Marshall Islands obtains the cqnsent of a Bikini chief to relocate his people so that Bikini can be used for nuclear ‘ 7 Mar 46 RELOCATION The U.S. Navy evacuates Bikini Atoll inhabitants to Rongeri May 46 RELOCATION Residents of Enewetak are moved to Meck Island in Kwajaldin Atoll, and the Rongelap and Wotho people are evacuated to Lae Atoll for the durafion of the Bikini tests. 1 and 25 ful 46 WEAPON TESTING The United States detonates two nuclear weapons at Bikini in Operation Crossroads.’