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Tne fives of the people of the Marshall Islands have been
irreversibly changed by the U.S. nuclear bomb tests.
GIFF JOHN-~
Micronesia: America’s ‘strategic’ trus.
(On August 6, 1945. the B-29 Enola
Gay dropped the first of two atomic
bombs that would kill over 200.000
neople in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Within months the United States
Dezan searching for sites tar from
the Marshalls went to Bikini in February. he told the people that Amencan scientists were experimenting
with nuclear weapons “for the good
of mankind and to end all world
wars. He promised that their atoll
American population centers for would be returned after the tests
further development and testing of were finished, and asked that they
nuctear weapons. The Defense De- consent to be moved to another is-
nurtment looked to Micronesia in the
‘aestern Pacific. whose 2.000 remote
land. With more than 42.000 military, sctentific and technical person-
isiands have only one-half the land nel. 250 naval ships and more than
150 observation aircratt poised to
Easternmost in Micronesia lie the enter Bikini Atoll for Operation
urea of the state of Rhode Island.
southwest of Hawaii. Up to the
Crossroads, the 166 Bikinians had
little choice but to leave their island.
mutti-islet atolls and five singie is-
were relocated by the United States
many as 97 islets connected by a
Even while the United States was
Marshall [stands. about 2.200 miles
Less than two yearslater. in Demost other Micronesians. were self- cember 1947, the Navy decided to
sufficient, itving off the ocean and use another atoll, Enewetak. for a
land, Though covering a great ex- second senes of atomic tests. The
punse of ocean. the Marshalls’ 28 Enewetakese, like the Bikinians.
1940s the Marshall tslanders. like
iands compnise only about 70 square quickly and with little planning to
mues. The atolls are mngs of 15 to as small, uninhabited atolls.
coral reef that encircles a clear blue
removing the Marshallese from their
lazoon. Out of necessity. the Mar- islands. in July 1947 it was signing
snallese are traditionally expert the United Nations Trusteeship
fishermen. deriving most of their Agreement for the U.S. Trust Ternprotein from the rich lagoons. while tory of the Pacific [Islands ( Mic-
the land provides coconuts. breadfruit. pandanus andtaro.
The most isolated and least westemized of the Marshallese lived on
the northern atolls of Bikini and
ronesial. This agreement stated:
‘*{n discharging its obligations. the
administering authority [U.S.} shall:
promote the economic advance-
ment and self-sufficiency of the inhabitants. and to this end shail...
Japanese during their 25-year occu- encourage the development of
pauon), they relied on the outside fishenes. agriculture and industnes;
world for almost nothing.
and protect the inhabitants against
Enewetak. Having little contact with
foreigners (not even with the
Ironically, this very isolation
the loss of their land and resources.”
people into the nuclear age.
In January 1946, Navy officials in
In addition, this agreement bound
Bikini Atoll fitted all requirements
for Overation Crossroads. designed
tants. and to this end ... protect
the mghts and fundamenial freedoms
thrust the Bikini and Enewetak
the United States to “promote the
Washington, D.C.. announced that social advancement of the inhabi-
to test the destructive power of nu- of ail elements of the population
clear weapons on naval vessels. without discrimination: and protect
When the U.S. military govemorof the health of the inhabitants... .""
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After the relocation of the \
shallese. however, what happe: during the next [2 vears was t
about 70 atomic and hydrogen be
blasts devastated the islands and
reversibly changed the lives of
people.
The Bikinians first moved atx
100 miles east to Rongerik. an :
inhabited atoll consisting of bar
one-half square mile of land. Wit‘
two months, they expressed anxi:
over the atoll’s meager resour<
and madethefirst of many reque
to return home. Within a year. -
people faced starvation: a visit:
American medical officer repor’
that the Bikinians were “*visibly
fering from malnutrition.” in i%
the Bikinians were evacuated titemporary tent city at the Navy b.
on Kwajalein.
Kili Island in the southem M
shalls was selected tor their ne
home. Kili, a single island. has
lagoon or protected anchora:
heavy surf trom November until |.
spring halts fishing and isolates .
island. On the other hand. Aili
once supported a Japanese co:
plantation. and U.S. authori:
hoped that. while the Bikinians we
not a farming people. the island's :
ncultural pessidilities would ov:
comeits drawbacks. Thus, the B:
nians were forced to adapt ta a cc
pletely alien environment.
In early December 1947. Washi:
ton officials announced without r
liminanes, that Enewetak was to —
used for the next series of bo
tests. In less than three weeks. ©
people of Enewetak were reloca
to Ujelang, the westernmost ato:
the Marshalls. Like Rongerik ::
Kili it was also uninhabited. and
good réason. Ujelang has on!:
quarter of the iand area cf Enewe:
and its 25-square-mile lagoon is !