It should be noted that in developing the answers, discussions have
taken place between members of the Department of State, Department
of the Interior, and the Atomic Energy Commission. The information
contained in the attached answers also is unclassified and,
therefore, can be utilized without security restrictions.
It is hoped that this information will prove helpful in allaying any
possible concern of Trusteeship Council members and in minimizing
any propaganda advantage of unfriendly nations. The Commission will
be glad to furnish any further assistance you may wish.1
[Enclosure]
Answers to State Department “List of
Possible Questions” Submitted by Atomic Energy
Commission
The following answers are in the same general order as the
questions submitted.
[Page 1492]
1. The area of the Trust Territory was chosen for testing
purposes because of its remoteness from populated centers and
from established air routes and sea lanes. Another consideration
was to obtain climatic conditions which present few obstacles to
operations which are rendered quite difficult even under optimum
conditions.
2. It is expected that there will be no deleterious, long-run
effects on the physical well-being of the native inhabitants.
This is based on the best medical estimates of external
radiation doses as well as on the body burden of the ingested
and/or inhaled fission products. Should a technical discussion
develop on this subject the Atomic Energy Commission will be
pleased to make available a person competent to answer such
questions as may arise.
It is, of course, difficult to evaluate precisely the
psychological impact of an incident of this kind. The Atomic
Energy Commission has observed, however, that
- (a)
- the evacuees were very satisfied with their treatment
and living conditions at Kwajalein and with the
announced plans to restock their islands;
- (b)
- possibly the greatest concern to the natives in their
minds is the uncertainty of the time of return of some
of them to their home islands. Reassurances of their
return and the time thereof have been made and will
continue to be given.
3. The danger area as established before the start of Castle and
as extended after the first shot of the series included no
inhabited areas aside from the Atolls of Eniwetok and Bikini
which were occupied solely by American Test Personnel. However,
outside of the established danger area, the Atolls of Rongelap
and Utirik, inhabited by Marshallese, and Rongerik, temporarily
occupied by American Weather Personnel, were contaminated by
radioactive fall-out because of an unexpected shift in wind
conditions. As a result, the Commander, Joint Task Force Seven,
ordered these Marshallese and United States Weather Personnel
evacuated temporarily to Kwajalein Atoll, where they were given
a thorough medical examination including blood counts. They have
been kept under constant surveillance by an Atomic Energy
Commission–Department of Defense team of medical experts. In
addition to receiving the best of medical care, the people were
well provided for in terms of food, clothing, shelter, and
recreation. Sixty-four Marshallese were evacuated from Rongelap,
eighteen from Ailinginae, and one hundred and fifty four from
Utirik. The radiation level to which the Utirik inhabitants were
exposed did not demand that they be removed but they were
transported as a precautionary measure. About 40 persons from
Rongelap showed beta radiation burns principally on their scalps
and necks. Nearly all of these burns have healed leaving no
permanent marks. Some 3 of these same persons also suffered loss
of hair in patches on the scalp. It is expected that there will
[Page 1493] be regrowth of
normal hair in these areas. It should be noted that the people
who were on Ailinginae were residents of Rongelap but were
engaged at the time of fallout in harvesting food. The 28
American Weather Personnel were evacuated at the same time in
the same manner. The period of close medical observation having
been completed, the inhabitants of Utirik have now been moved to
their original homes and established under living conditions
equivalent to or better than those which obtained at the time of
evacuation. The people from Rongelap are being provided with
improved homes on Majuro Atoll fabricated from plywood with
aluminum roofs. This type of construction will enable them more
efficiently to collect rain water which will enhance their
subsistence. These new dwellings on Majuro Atoll are being built
on a temporary basis and they will be removed from Majuro with
the natives when they are re-established in their original
home-site on Rongelap in approximately six months to one year.
At that time they will be furnished livestock, provisions, and
impediments [implements] which will
establish living conditions at least equivalent to those which
obtained immediately prior to the initial evacuation.
4. There was no land destroyed or damaged outside the Pacific
Proving Grounds (Eniwetok and Bikini Atolls). With respect to
other atolls the fallout that occurred did not damage the land
in the sense that it could not be reinhabited or could not be
used for agricultural pursuits. Except for possibly the
uninhabited northern islands of Rongelap Atoll, all of the
islands could be re-entered safely in the near future by
personnel who had not previously experienced significant
radiation exposures. Since the indigenous inhabitants have
already received some radiation exposure, it has been deemed
wise not to allow them to return until the activity has decayed
to an insignificant level. The amount of activity in the soil
does not constitute a hazard to the growth and edibility of
plant life. The amount of activity in Bikini and Eniwetok
lagoons would make it unwise to eat fish at this time from these
areas without monitoring them first. The information presently
available indicates that the fish in all the lagoons, except
Bikini and Eniwetok, and in the open sea are suitable for
consumption at this time, as the activity is so small that no
deleterious effects may be expected to the fish themselves nor
will the edibility of the fish be impaired. It is pertinent to
note that the fish which normally inhabit the lagoons are not of
the migratory species and that those migratory fish which enter
the lagoons are not apt to become radioactive during the short
period in which they remain in the lagoons. No sea areas need
decontamination. The radioactivity on practically all of the
islands will be at a very low level in a few months.
5. As pertains to compensation for injuries and loss of income
suffered by the natives, personnel of the Atomic Energy
Commission and the Department of Defense are now investigating
means for settling [Page 1494]
any claims which may arise. As of this date no claims have been
registered by native personnel. In connection with Bikini and
Eniwetok Atolls steps are being taken by the Department of the
Interior and the Navy Department to settle claims in favor of
the former inhabitants of those atolls for the use of their
lands.
6. Prior to the Castle test series the United States established
a danger area around the Pacific Proving Grounds. The area was
bounded by the meridians 160°35’–166°16’ East Longitude and the
parallels 10°15’–12°45’ North Latitude. Formal notices were
published warning vessels and aircraft to avoid the area
designated above. This information was disseminated through all
practicably available channels such as Notice to Mariners,
Notice to Airmen, daily memoranda from the various Hydrographic
Branch Offices Pacific, and scheduled radio broadcasts by
Hydrographic Office Pacific. After the experience of the first
shot of Castle, the danger area was extended to include the
above area plus a sector from 240° clockwise to 095° out to a
distance of 450 miles from a point 12° North 164° East. This new
enlarged danger area was made known prior to continuation of the
test series through the channels noted above and in addition
special notification was given to the Japanese Government
through our State Department and our Far East Command.
In addition to the above warnings, the Commander, Joint Task
Force Seven, maintained an active sea and air patrol of the area
at all times. During periods immediately prior to shot times
these patrols were intensified and extended. Areas of predicted
fallout were searched from ground zero over a sector extending
600 miles out and 120 miles in width. The Atomic Energy
Commission considers the above measures were adequate. If during
these patrols and survey periods the Task Force had noted any
personnel within the danger area it would have taken measures to
warn such personnel to leave the area and the shot would have
been deferred until they had moved to a safe location. The
danger area was abolished on May 21, 1954 and the only areas
from which transient aircraft and shipping are now precluded are
the closed areas of Bikini and Eniwetok Atolls and the water
areas of their lagoons within three miles to the seaward side of
the peripheries of the land areas of these atolls.
7. At future tests the Atomic Energy Commission will exercise all
caution possible to avoid injury to personnel or damage to
property. Based on knowledge gained in past experiments, the
Commission feels that it can assure that future tests can be
conducted without any untoward incidents.
