cna of Marshall Islanders and Japanese fishermen were irradiated by fallout debris from the explosion, Subsequently, a number of seLlentific bodies in the U. Se passed resolutions requesting that a study be made of the possible effects on the human race of continued nuclear weapons testing. In April, 1955, the Rockefeller Foundation provided the NAS with funds for undertaking a very broad study of the effects of atomic radiation. The subject reports are the final fruits of this study, which will be a continuing one. Whereas the AEC has always been aware of the possible hazards from fallout from surface bursts of atomic weapons (see "Effects of Atomic Weapons,” 1952), it had been even more aware of possible hazards to nearby livestock and the public generally from serious accidents which could conceivably occur to large production reactors such as those at the Hanford Works, The Bikini fallout incident made it abundantly clear that fallout was important from the standpoint of continued weapons testing and as a factor in civil defense planning, The problems of radiation effects has been under continuing review by the AEC and by the joint U.S., U.K. and Canada Tripartite meetings, In addition, the AEC has contributed a major portion of the basic scientific data for the deliberations of the National Committee for Radiation Protection and the International Commission for Radiation Protection. A few words are in order on the general approach of the NAS study committees. They did not include an evaluation of the effects of an atomic war, conference of June 12, As Dr, Bronk stated in the press 1956, he could not define an atomic war so he asked the committees to limit themselves to peacetime atomic energy activities including weapons testing, -4 . Enclosure II