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The small Bikini community had developed a close in-~group
fecling during the years of relative isolation prior to the
coming of the white man and found satisfaction and security in
their closely knit personal relationships and communal life.
World War II and the Bikini People
The Bikini people were directly affected by World War II
in that three of their young men who had been attending tne
japanese government school on Jaluit Atoll were drafted as
laborers and sent to Enewetak Atoll.
They were later killed
there in the American bombing and hombardmer.t of that nuge and
important Japanese military base.
soidiers at Bikini,
however; wireless station operators also
manned the ammunition stores.
American bombing and shelling.
however,
There were only six Japanese
These men were ali killed by
Wittle damage was done to Bixini,
ang the Bikini people were much better off than
Marshailese in areas such as Jaluit,
where heavy fighting occurred.
Gid the other Marshallese,
Enewetak and Kwajalein,
The Bikini people suffered as
from the cut-off of supply lines
from Japan with the resultant cessation of imports of necessary
Wh mid ame ot
consumer foods and exportation of copra.
Communications were re-
stored and wartime hardships were glleviated when the American
armed forces captured the Marshell Islands early in 1944.
The
.
serious
hardships of the Bikini people were yet to come however.
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