409608 Carroll L. Wilson Brig. General James McCormack, Jr. LR CONTINUATION OF EWIVETOK DANGER AREA CLASSIFICATION CANCELLED REFER TO SYMBOL: BY AUTHORITY OF DOE/OG MAINJSR CartWilson3/23/%+ EVIEWED BY * GATL HER: Schmidt /t| ao plo Taeret, 4/14/FG roe G2 ConwatohAGM Ci2-/- -93 6 BOX No. 70 (NKZ - 32 COLLECTION e nerosiroavYNALA YW - $f JMuy trod y Prior to the holding of weapon tests at Uniwetok in the Spring of 1948, a danger area vas established embracing an area 200 nautical miles east and west and 150 nautical miles north and south, centered on Eniwetok, The area was established by the State Department notifying the chiefs of all foreign diplomatic missions and by the Atomic Energy Commission requesting the Chief of Naval Operations and the Air Coordinating Committee to notify mariners and airmen, and itself notifying the general public through the medium of a press release, Since our current planning contemplates the re-use of Hniwetok as a proving ground, it is considered desirable from the standpoint of public relations and security to continue in force the danger area beyond its present date of expiration of December 31, 1948 until further notice. At the time of establishing the danger area for 1948, the State Department was not willing to extend the duration of the prescribed danger area beyond one calendar year, This limitation was desired by the State Department in order to avoid the international implication that the United States was restricting the free use of the high seas, and further because the State Department desired to avoid possible adverse international reactions. The State Department is now willing to concur in the indefinite extension in point of time of the danger area, Thelr willingness is based upon their desire not to invite the attention of all nations anmually to the fact that we are using Tniwetok as an atomic weapon proving ground and also upon the fact that no adverse international reaction was experienced as a result of Yast years' announcement of the danger area. The Military Liaison Committee hagindicated that the National Military Hstablishment concurs."in/“the contiiiiance of the danger area for an indefinite period. =“ , a bm . : hey os The indefinite extension p$- the danger area is concurred in by thy N \ . - Public and Technical (Infomation Service and the Office of the Gendyal Counsel, uo we E “ ne ' Soe ¥ | , t It is requested that theDirector of the Division of Military Application 4 be authorized to proceed with effecting those notifications necessary to the contimance of an Iniwetok danger area beyond December 31, 1948-for an indefinite time in the future, L cee: Siecretarya CPD mene a PSS y PPO IB -p>- a & Looe Lisfule BEST COPY AVAILABLE