DRAFT 1 MARSHALL ISLANDS CHRONOLOGY Jan - Feb 44 ADMINISTRATION LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY The Marshall Islands, administered by Japan since the end of World War|,fall to the United States military forces during the Pacific war.’ 2 Mar 44 AGREEMENT The government of the Trust Territory of the Pacific islands (T.T.) conveys to the U. S. governmentthe exclusive right to the use and occupancy of Enewetak Atoll 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 agreement negotiated between a Marshall Islands leader and a U.S. representative, probably military. The first paragraph of this document identifies the date of the agreement as that of 2 March 1944, but this particular document was drawn uplater, probably in 1957. The term "Trust Territory," was not used in 1944 for the Marshall Islands and the signers were Officials in 1957, not 1944. Subsequent language and signers of the document also indicate the agreement was written later. This agreement was recorded in the Marshall Islands District Record Book 1, pp. 5, 6, and 7, on June 20, 1957.)’ Jan 46 WEAPONTESTING Pacific. Feb 46 U.S.officials select Bikini Atoll for the first U.S. nuclear weapon tests in the AGREEMENT: RELOCATION _ The military governor of the Marshall Islands obtains the consent of a Bikini chief to relocate‘his people so that Bikini can be used for nuclear weapontests.‘ aby 7 Mar 46 RELOCATICN The U.S. Navy evacuates Bikini Atoll inhabitants to Rongerik Atoll.° May 46 RELOCATION Residents of Enewetak are moved to Meck Island in Kwajalein Atoll, and the Rongelap and Wotho people are evacuated to Lae Atoll for the duration of the Bikini tests. 1 and 25 Jul 46 WEAPONTESTING The United States detonates two nuclear weapons at Bikini in Operation > cn tar eo wpe cD CFI Crossroads.’