IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
The nuclear legacy of the Bikinians began in March 1946 when they were first removed from their islands in preparation for Operation Crossroads. The history of the bikinian people from that day has been a story of their struggle to understand scientific concepts as they relate to their islands, as well as the day-to-day problems of finding food, raising families, and maintaining their culture amidst the progression of events and in motion by the Cold War that have been for the most part out of their control. They were
moved to Rongerik Atoll which was smaller and had less resources
than their own island. They faced starvation there. They later moved
to Kwajalein Atoll and later Kili Island which were also inadequate;
importation of supplies was required but not always forthcoming. According to a Defense Nuclear Agency report on the Bravo blast, the weather briefing the day before the detonations said that there would be "no significant fallout...for the populated Marshals." The briefing at 6pm, however, stated that "the predicted winds were less favorable; nevertheless, the decision to shoot was reaffirmed,
but with another review of the wind scheduled for midnight." The midnight
briefing "indicated less favorable winds at 10,000 to 25,000 foot levels."; Winds at 20,000 feet "were headed for Rongelap to the east," and "it was recognized that both Bikini and Eneman islands would probably be contaminated." The decision to go forward with the test, knowing that the winds are blowing in the direction of inhabited atolls, was essentially a decision to a irradiate the northern Marshall Islands and, moreover, to a irradiate the people who are still living on them. Millions of tons of sand, coral, plant life, and sea life from Bikini's reef, three islands, and the surrounding lagoon waters were sent high in the air by the blast. One and a half hours after the explosion, 23 fisherman aboard a Japanese fishing vessel, the Lucky Dragon, watched in awe as a "gritty white ash" fell on them. The men aboard the ship were oblivious to the fact that the ash was the fallout from a hydrogen bomb test. Shortly after being exposed to the fallout, their skin began to itch, &
they experienced nausea and vomiting. One man died. This incident of innocent
people unexpectedly harmed by radiation inspired a horror movie called Godzilla. The Ronglapese, not understanding what was happening,
watched as two suns rose that morning, observed with amazement as the radioactive dust soon formed a layer two inches deep on their island, turning the drinking water a brackish yellow. Children played in the fallout; mothers watched in horror as night came and their children began to show the physical signs of radiation exposure. The people experienced severe vomiting and diarrhea, their hair fell out,
& the island fell into a state of terrified panic. The people had received no
explanations or warnings whatsoever from the United States government. By late 1969, the first cleanup phase was completed. The Atomic Energy Commission, in an effort to assure the islanders of their cleanup efforts were successful, issued a statement: "There's virtually no radiation left and we can find no discernible effect on either plant or animal life." As a result some islanders decided to risk returning to their original home. The population of Islanders on bikini slowly increased over the years until in June 1975, testing
showed that natural food on the island was radioactive & their bodies were
contaminated. It took 3 years & a lawsuit against the US government to get
them off the island again. Today the people of Bikini remain on Kili Island,
Ejit island of Majuro Atoll, and scattered throughout the Marshall Islands
& the world as they await the cleanup of Bikini Atoll to begin in earnest.
