The Bikini Atoll tests are probably one of the most controversial events that took place during World War II.  Although there were many events that took place to test new weapon technologies, the Bikini tests were the most dangerous, and affected the most people.  There is much to cover in this topic, a lot of which is unimportant information.  But, as I am not writing a book, I will try to give you only important and relevant facts and information.

To start off, I would like to provide you with some size and location information on the atoll:

Location: Northern Marshall Islands, which are to the northeast of Australia.

Number of Islands: 23, excluding three vaporized during the tests.  There are four major islands, Bikini, the 'home island' of the Bikinians, Enyu, Enirik, and Nom.

Land Area: 3.4 square miles

Lagoon Area: 240 square miles

Bikinians at move before tests: 196

Population Today: 2,600, but you must remember that they are all living in non-Bikini areas.  This statistic was taken in February, 1999.

The best way to provide information on a topic as complex as Bikini is a timeline.  Please see mine below, so that you can get an idea of the events that took place.  As you read along, please look at the maps (just above, and on the picture page) so that you can have a better idea of what is happening.

1600s: Atoll is discovered by the Spanish.  It is later conquered by the Germans.  The main purpose of the islands is to produce copra oil, from coconuts.

Early 1900s: The Japanese start to administer the Atoll.  In preparation for World War II, a Japanese buildup occurs, which angers the islanders.

February 1944: Americans capture the Atoll.

December 1945: President Harry S. Truman creates a directive that states that nuclear weapons must be tested "to determine the effect of atomic bombs on American warships."  Bikini is chosen as the testing site, because it was far

February 1946: Bikinians are asked if they would be willing to leave the atoll temporarily, so the U. S. could begin atomic bomb tests for "the good of mankind and to end all world wars."  The Bikinians agree to cooperate.

March 1946: Bikinians are moved from their home Atoll to Rongerik Atoll, so that the government can begin work on Operation Crossroads (this is the name of the atomic weapons tests.  It consisted of two tests, Able and Baker, using bombs the

May 1946: Bikinians beg the government to be moved back to their home atoll.  They are starving, have inadequate drinking water, and believe that the Rongerik Atoll is inhabited by evil spirits.

July 1946: Juda, the leader of the Bikinians, travels with the government to the Bikini Atoll to look at the aftermath of the Baker test.  (The Baker test was the second of Operation Crossroads.)  Juda informed his people that the islands

December 1946 - January 1947: Bikinians begin starving on Rongerik.  A United Nations Strategic Trust Treaty is formed to insure the inhabitants' well-being, and is put under the control of the U.S.

July 1947: U. S. medical officer goes to Rongerik to check on the Bikinians.  He finds them to be

Fall 1947: U. S. investigators determine that the Bikinians should be moved from Rongerik.  Despite this, the Bikinians remain on Rongerik.

January 1948: An anthropologist, Dr. Leonard Mason, visits Rongerik to check on the Bikinians.  Horrified by the starvation of the Bikinians, he demands that a medical officer, food, and supplies be flown to the

March 1948: Bikinians are transported to Kwajalein Atoll.  They almost immediately begin debating over alternate locations.

June 1948: Bikinians choose Kili island as an

November 1948: The 184 Bikinians (6% less than before they moved from Bikini) move to Kili.  They have starvation troubles there, too, so the Trust Territory administration donates a 40-foot ship.  This ship allows the Bikinians to go to the nearby Jaluit Atoll for food.

January 1954: Army and Air Force personnel come to the Bikinians' former home of Rongerik to set up a weather station.  This weather station was monitoring for a time when conditions would be right for Operation Castle. (Operation Castle was a series of tests of air-deployed hydrogen bombs, made in preparation for the Cold War.  The main test for this operation was Bravo.  It also included the Yankee and

Late February 1954: Joint Task Force-7 finds that weather conditions will be unfavorable for the specified Bravo test date.  The winds "were headed for Rongelap to the east," and "it was recognized that both Bikini and Eneman islands would probably be contaminated."  Even though this warning is given, the test is still performed.

Spring 1954: The Bravo test is performed on a reef in the northwestern Bikini Atoll, despite repeated warnings from weather stations.  The bomb is one thousand times as powerful as the Baker and Bravo nuclear weapon tests, and much more powerful than the scientists thought.  Radiation contamination occurred to citizens of the Rongelap Atoll.  The Rongerik, Utirik, Ujelang, and Likiep Atolls are all declared off-limits.  Bikar, Ailinginae, Rongelap, and Rongerik Atolls are contaminated by the smaller Yankee

January 1955: On Kili, the Bikinians begin starving, yet again.  They eventually fix the problem.

1960:

1967: Government considers moving the Bikinians back to Bikini, due to new radiation level tests provided by scientists.

Late 1969: Bikini Atoll cleanup phase 1 is completed.  The AEC tells the islanders "There's virtually no radiation left and we can find no discernible effect

Late 1972: Due to radiation found in crabs, the islanders are not returned to Bikini.  They are allowed to return to Bikini on their own, if they so choose.  A few islanders slowly return.

June 1975: It is announced that Bikini

May 1977 - April 1978: Many dangerous substance levels are found to be well above U. S. permissible levels on the Bikini Atoll.  Contamination is found in islanders.  Interior Department announces that it wants the people moved off the atoll "within 75 to 95 days."

Today: The Bikinians continue their clean-up efforts.  A few of them remain in residence on the atoll, despite the government's warnings.

As you can see, throughout this whole incident the Bikinians have been treated poorly and lied to on several occasions.  This leads into my thesis, which you can read about in "Conclusion".