forces supporting the test; 236 Marshallese natives living on several
near-by atolls, | 31 American weather service personnel stationed on the
atolls, and the Japanese fishing vessel, the Lucky Dragon.
The fate of
the Lucky Dragon received prominent attention in the Japanese press and
brought the dangers of fallout to the attention of the world. 32
The
Bravo shot ensured that fallout would became a concern of all Americans,
not just those who lived near the Nevada Test Site.
=~
Brevo linked the fallout issue to the test ban issue.
On April 2,
1954, shocked by Bravo fallout, Prime Minister Nehru of India called for
a test moratorium.
His plea led the Eisenhower Administration briefly
to consider halting nuclear weapon tests, but the Administration which
wanted to preserve America's technical lead over the Russians could find
no way to enforce such a test ban.
Increasingpublic concern about the Bravo Fallout put presure upon
the Commission to release "the facts" about fallout.
Wishing to inform
the American people about fallout, the Cammission released "A Report by
the United States Atomic Energy Commission on the Effects of High Yield
Nuclear Explosions" on February 15, 1955.
In it the Commission not only
explained Bravo fallout but also discussed fallout from Nevada tests.
The Commission characterized iodine 131 and’ strontium
90 as the two
most hazardous component's of fallout but assurred Americans that testinc
posed little hazard to health.74
The
report,
rather than calmed the fallout controversy.
nevertheless,
fueled
Perhaps because its publi-~
cation coincided with the beginning of the spring 1955 test series, it
helped to touch off a new wave of concern about continental testing.
The 1955 Nevada series was dubbed Teapot and again consisted cf
weapon Gevelopment, military effects, and "open" shots.
The Cammission