oe . ie . .. compared the B:ikinians to the chidren of Israel whom the Lora saved from their enemy and ied unto the Promised Land. He told them of the bomb that men ‘n America had made and the destruction it had wrought upon the enemy Richard 1957:510). > After Operation Crossroads in 1946. Bikini was not utilized as a nuclear test site for etght vears. In 1954. further tests were conducted at the artoil. and the last occurrec in 1958 Hines 1962:157-195: 270-292). 5001240 vee ete carte a ge soekg tee ow —_— 7 ' a i * *s 4 cay rt Cite tame ee te ee 2.0) ORES: - 2 a eae + 8 ee we a he a te or eg * os . matic and geograpnica: conditions for Operation Crossroads. Ironically. some or the same factors of geography and environment whicn had limited tre Bikimians’ contact with the outside world caused an abrupt eng :o the:r isolation and thrust them into the mainstream of events of tie twentieth century. Further, the Christianity which the wsianders had accepted from Americans was emploved to convince :nem or the necessity of their relocatron. The Bikinians’ :nitial re!ocation was accomplished swiftly and witn little planning. The military governor ot the Marshals obtained the consent ot the Bikinians’ paramount chief to move lis subjects. On Sunaav. February 10, 1946 the governor, members ot his statt. and tne paramount cniet arrived at Bikini bv seaplane. After tne morning church services had been concluded. cne Bikinians were agdressea by the governor. According to his own account. he drew upon the Bible and: on tee. : trom ail sea and air routes. In jate January, 1946. navyofficials in Washington. D.C. announced tnar Bikini Atoll fulfilled ail cli . and political leaders began pianning nuclear experiments to gather ¥militarv and scientitic knowiedge. Attention soon focused on the question of the etfects ot nuciear weapons emploved against naval vessels (Hines 1962:21 . A pair of tests given the code name of Operation Crossroads was pianned. and in November of 1945 a search for an approoriate site began.” It had to be located in an area controlled by the United States and was to be uninhabited or have a small popuiation wnich could be easily relocated. The site had to be in a c:imatic zone tree trom storms and cold temperatures, and have a .arge and sheltered anchorage for a fleet of target vessels. The canger cf radioactive contamination required a site Gistant from neaviis tooulated areas and at ‘east 500 mules + gn cee tee - ee ee eee Environmental and Historical Setting “ ee A