level to 9U,UUU feet, witi no data for winds at ¥5,uUuU, luJ,QuU, and lU5,vuU feet, and data for winds at llu,yuu, 115,UUU, and 12U,00U feet indicating tney were flowing to the east, or toward bikini. For tne "Brave" snot, nowever, winds from sea level to the end of tne troposphere at 55,UUU feet vere generally heading east, Or northeast, Utirik. in the general uirection of Rongelap, onperik and From 55,vUU feet to #u,UUU Feet the winds vere eenerally heaging to tue west. Above vu,JOU feet, there was no data available. dad tne snot veen delayed 24 hours, wind conditions might nave cnanged, which would have ultered tne fallout of tne explosion and tne enraged nuclear ,iant would aave only expended its energy and visited its curse upon tue fiora and fauna of the uninnuabited spits of sand in tue Pacific. Unfortunately, sucn was not to be. ‘Tile decision to “go tuat was made sometime early that morning would produce mucu confusion and conflict, suffering and suspicion. It would result in a controversy that is unresolved to this day, and an anxiety-riduen and uncertain future for nearly tnree hundred human veings and tiecir descendants. Ine decision nad been made. ‘uravo" lived and died. In July of 1946 Uperation Crossroads--the detonation of two “nominal’ yield atomic bombs--took place at sikini. The first test, coded 'Able', involved an air drop of a bomb which burst at 500 feet over a fleet of dilapidated American and Japanese naval vessels. second test was tne first underwater shot ever conducted. he [t involved tne detonation of an atomic vomb suspended about 90 feet--or halfway lO14b71 ie