Bikini Atoll The History of Bikini Atoll and Atomic Testing
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HISTORY OF BIKINI
Bikini Atoll is located north of the equator in the Central Pacific and is one of 25 atolls located in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. An atoll is a coral reef that appears above the sea as a low ring shaped coral islands.
The Marshall islands were first discovered in the 1600's by the Spanish and then by the Germans. The islands were primarily used to produced Copra Oil from coconuts. Because Bikini Atoll is located in the very dry northern region, it was left alone.
In the 1900's Japan began to take control of the Marshall Islands. In anticipation of World War II, Japan built a watchtower on Bikini Island to guard against an American assault. In February 1944 American forces took control of the Marshall Islands.
In December 1945, President Harry Truman issued a directive to the Army and Navy to start a nuclear testing program. The program was to be called Operation Crossroads, and this was to be a study of the effects of nuclear weapons on ships, equipment and material...