peseseneseeneee WEAPONSTESTING mmeee ee Marsnail tslancs 1945 AUGUST 6 Japan: The U.S. drops ns a 13 kiloton atomic bomb on Hiroshima enyuctah wjeteng city, killing approximately 100,000 people. Three days later a second and political leaders begin planning nuclear experiments for further develTwo tests, opment of nuclear weapons. code named Operation CROSSROADS, are | planned to demonstrate the effects of A atomic explosions on naval vessels. search is begun for an appropriate testing site. 1946 , amomses dae &. a | nace cis ~ decides that Enewetak Atoll will be used for a second series of nuclear experiments. 1948 APRIL Enewetak: Operation SANDSTONE begins and includes three atomic blasts ranging in strength from 18 49 kilotons, detonated from towers: X- Rav (April 15), Yoke (May 1) and Zebra (May 15). ~~ fae 1951 APRIL Enewetak: Operation GREENHOUSE begins. This series in- ‘ ciudes four atomic tests exploded on towers: Dog (April 8), Easy (April 21), George (May 9) and Item (May 25). Zasy test is 4? kilotons: information en the others remains classified. Approximately 3,200 military men participate in this series. atomic torr sroppec on Nagasakl, Japan. Abouc 42,0°0 military men and scien- 1947 van? cote 1947 DECEMBER Enewetak: The Navy zins and ircludes two atomic domo plasts, Abl2 iJulv 1), an air drop, and Zaker (Juiv 25), an underwater test. These tombs ire about the size of the test “Soyens as n'a. am. JULY Bikini: 2peratrion CROSSROADS bde- this | oo JANUARY Washington: “Navy offi- in -_—~ ‘eo cunjpeleia i> \ ae wade cials in Washington, D.C. announce that Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands fulfills all climatic, zeograpnical and other requirements for Operation CROSSROADS (4,500 miles away from the U.S a small posuiation of 167; 3a orotected anchorage; and under the control of the L.S.) cists participate unt i Nam —_ NOVEMBER Washington: American military Fe aamto, reagerk anam wathe ea 1 atomic bomb is dropped on Nagasaki city, killing approximately 70,000 people. o series. JULY The Marshall Islands, along with the Caroline and Mariana Islands, formerly wider a League of Nations Mandate to the Japanese, become the United Cbl100¢ Nations Trust Territory cf the Pacific, administered by the United States. 1952 NOVEMBER Enewetak: Operaztion “Ships remained in the lagoon during cetonation and fallout periods ard were subjected to conSiderabie fallout (during Operation Greenhouse),” Studies of Participants in Nu~ clear Tests, National Academy of Sciences, September 1980. IVY begins. [It includes the first thermonuclear (hydrogen) device test, Mike (November 1), estimated at 10.4 megatons (750 times greater than tne Hiroshima bomb). King (November :6) is described as a "high yield" 500 kiloton (continued on page 6) 4 QUEER