By Connie Goldsmith Bombs over Bikini: The World's First Nuclear Disaster (Nonfiction - Young Adult) [Library Binding]

by Connie Goldsmith

In 1946, as part of the Cold War arms race, the US military launched a program to test nuclear bombs in the Marshall Islands of the Pacific Ocean. From 1946 until 1958, the military detonated sixty-seven nuclear bombs over the region's Bikini and Enewetak Atolls. The twelfth bomb, called Bravo, became the world's first nuclear disaster. It sent a toxic cloud of radiation over Rongelap Atoll and other nearby inhabited islands. The testing was intended to advance scientific knowledge about nuclear bombs and radiation, but it had much more far-reaching effects. Some of the islanders suffered burns, cancers, birth defects, and other medical tragedies as a result of radiation poisoning. Many of the Marshallese were resettled on other Pacific islands or in the United States. They and their descendants cannot yet return to Bikini, which remains contaminated by radiation. And while the United States claims it is now safe to resettle Rongelap, only a few construction workers live there on a temporary basis. For Bombs over Bikini, author Connie Goldsmith researched government documents, military film footage, and other primary source documents to tell the story of the world's first nuclear disaster. You'll meet the people who planned the test operations, the Marshall Islanders who lost their homes and suffered from radiation illnesses, and those who have worked to hold the US government accountable for catastrophically poor planning. Was the new knowledge about nuclear bombs and radiation worth the cost in human suffering? You decide.

Genres: Nonfiction, Middle Grade, History, Science, Historical, Teen

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good, quick overview of the nuclear weapons testing program in the Marshall Islands. It's quite informative, but stays on a more surface level. You won't find in-depth examinations of the motivations on the US side, but I honestly don't expect that from a 70 page middle grade/YA history book. That said, I was impressed that the author included multiple perspectives and gave reasonable space to the idea that some of the radiation exposure was intentional. Yes, you would need a considerably longer book to fully do justice to all of the twists and turns of the story, but it's a fine start.

Side note: you can tell that this is nonfiction for young readers, not just because it's short and has plenty of large pictures interspersed in the text, but because the author felt the need to explain what the Soviet Union was. Because the target audience has absolutely no firsthand memories of the USSR. Which made me, a reader who does have firsthand memories of the USSR, feel kind of old.

[Heather Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In an attempt to purchase more historical fiction and nonfiction, I decided it would be appropriate for me to read some of my new purchases to recommend to students. I had my eye on this book since attending a young adult literature conference last spring. It covers a topic about which I know very little...and by "little," I mean nothing at all. I was appalled by the fact that the United States engaged in nuclear testing that would put so many lives at risk, while displacing populations of entire islands. I was ashamed at the fact that I knew NOTHING about this topic, and it was something that, until 1982, the United States failed to even acknowledge. Not only that, but it was eye opening to consider the implications of nuclear testing, especially as North Korea ratchets up its tests and we inch closer toward engaging in war.

This book was written like a textbook, complete with photographs of important people, places, and actions, appropriately captioned, but it also contained a narrative, which helped to move the history from the start of nuclear testing in the Bikini Atoll to as current as 2012, when the Bikinians attempted to receive compensation for medical maladies and displacement costs. I think that young adult readers will find this book compelling and will aid them in further inquiry as to the United States nuclear testing program of the 1940s and 1950s. While it may seem as though the book is subjective, it does so only insofar as the atrocity behind displacing entire populations of people (multiple times) appeals to human emotion. I look forward to sharing this book with students in history classes!

[Tonya Dagstani · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a short, interesting, and intense read for history lovers. It's full of facts yet easy to comprehend. It's a story about unconscionable unfairness on the part of the US Government toward the Binkinians, whose homeland was left uninhabitable by the experiments of the atomic bomb. It's a story of the science of radioactivity and it's long-term impacts on the environment. It's a lesson that we should never forget so that it should not be repeated.

My grandfather was a scientist on Eniwetok during this testing and thus served as my impetus for reading this book; to further understand what happened over there, where this mysterious island was, and his reasons for doing his job. The human aspect of this book made me sad to know that these native peoples will never be able to return to their homes.

The book is a great read for all high school age groups and would work well in literature circles for English classes and for US History classes. The verbiage is easy to follow and the science is easy to understand. An A+ read!

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have not read such a short nonfiction book in quite a while. While it is not my favorite type of reading, it did give me some knowledge and background about something I knew nothing about - the US testing of nuclear bombs in the Marshall Islands after WW2, and the people who were evacuated and not compensated for losing their homes. It would be a good book for people who like to learn about the effects of WW2 or nuclear science.

For a future reading club meeting:
Genre: nonfiction
Themes: government responsibility, nuclear testing, responsibility, homeland, unintended consequences
Culture/ underrepresented groups: Rongelapese, refugees, displaced persons
Grade level (interest/difficulty): 7+
Appropriateness (edgy/controversial issues): descriptions of bomb (animal testing)
Instruction: paired reading with a text on war, testing, bombs, etc.

[Bridgette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick overview of the nuclear and hydrogen bomb testing done at the Bikini Atoll in the 1940s & 1950s by the US, the impact on the people of the islands, clean-up efforts, and current fights for monetary reparations. This is a great introduction for anyone who doesn't know much about the bomb testing and the radiation fallout from the testing of hydrogen bomb, Bravo, that impacted the people living on Rongelap. It's this incident that inspired Godzilla.

This was super fascinating and sad and anger inducing. I knew basically nothing about the bomb testing or how it displaced an entire island. Written well enough to provide an introduction for adults and perfect for kids wanting non-fiction. I'm eager to find more books and information about this now.

[Gaynelle Gilbride · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled upon this book in a small Upstate NY library. Well cited, over 75 Source Notes, well documented and peaked my interest to go online an look for more information in regards to this Nuclear testing above ground and below sea levels.

From Small Local Courts to the US Supreme Court, it is an interesting book to read.

[Sarah Holbrook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although written for middle schoolers, the book is very informative about a little known part of US history. I was outraged to learn about how we've treated the Marshall Islanders in the aftermath of nuclear bomb testing in their area. They've suffered greatly, and the US has covered up the extent of the damage from the nuclear testing. Shameful!

[Skyla Ausel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The was a typical nonfiction text. It could easily be used in a cross-curricular project with s history class.

[Keari · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.4

[Karen Ball · Rating 3 out of 5]

The atomic bomb was a completely new weapon at the time, and scientists wanted to learn more about the bomb's capacity... U.S. President Harry Truman ordered military officials to select a place to carry out nuclear testing. Admiral Blandy... named the atomic bomb testing program Operation Crossroads. "Sea power, air power, and perhaps humanity itself are at the crossroads."

After World War II ended in August 1945 with the dropping of two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, two superpowers emerged: the Soviet Union and the United States. Both nations were working to develop atomic weapons, and this new Cold War led to the atomic testing program which would be located in the Marshall Islands, specifically Bikini Atoll. Far from any large cities, with predictable winds and few islanders who would have to be moved, the remote location seemed ideal. The first atomic bomb was detonated in the air above Bikini Atoll on July 1, 1946. The second was detonated underwater only a few weeks later on July 25, with far more devastating consequences. The islanders of Bikini had been moved to Rongerik Atoll, about 125 miles from Bikini, but near Rongerak Atoll, where other islanders lived. Between 1946 and 1958, the US detonated 67 nuclear bombs in the area. The 12th bomb, Bravo, was the worst. Unlike all previous fission bombs, this one was a fusion bomb. Far more powerful and deadly, it was placed on Nam island at the edge of Bikini Atoll. On March1, 1954, its detonation left a mile-wide crater in the ocean floor, vaporized part of Nam, and sent a 25-mile-high mushroom cloud of radioactive steam and dust into the atmosphere. The islanders nearest had not been evacuated, and suffered radiation poisoning and longterm health problems for years. Many of the soldiers and sailors ordered to be part of the program also became seriously ill, some suffering for years. Was the scientific knowledge gained from all that testing worth the cost in lives, damaged health and damaged environment? Solid research, lots of historic photos, and excellent design. 7th grade and up.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

First lines: March 1, 1954, was not a normal day on Rongelap Atoll in the Marshall Islands of the Pacific Ocean. That morning, the US military exploded the world's first hydrogen bomb - Bravo- on Nam, part of the Bikini Atoll about 75 miles (120 kilometers) away from Rongelap. Several hours later, white ash began to drift from the sky, p. 5.

Sixty-seven. That's how many nuclear bombs the U.S. decided to "test" over and around the Bikini Atoll. Sixty-seven. What in the world did people learn on the sixty-seventh bomb that couldn't have been learned from the first one dropped in Japan during WWII? The bombs cause massive loss of life! The bombs ruin environments for decades or centuries or who the hell really knows how long. Why is it people who are told they are about to make a horrible decision go ahead and still make it?

Experts had warned Admiral Blandy that such an explosion would be dangerous. In the end, Blandy ordered his men to explode Baker underwater, p. 29.

I'm not sure we are learning from our past.

The book was a very quick read with tons of information about the Marshall Islands including it's past and present. Prepare yourself to be disturbed, upset, and inspired to read more. Try Bomb by Steve Sheinkin or one of the other books Goldsmith suggests on page 84.

Book trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DajA...
Primary source video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQEgn...

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bombs Over Bikini provides a powerful account of a lesser known human-caused disaster than remains with us today. After World War II, there was still a lot that the military and scientists didn't know about nuclear bombs. As a result, a program was set up to test what happens when a nuclear bomb goes off under a variety of circumstances. Unfortunately, due to a series of poor decisions and the manipulation of native peoples the results contaminated a number of islands in the Bikini Atoll. Even today several of the islands remain uninhabitable. This book reminded me strongly that using such power needs to be done responsibly and in a thoughtful manner.

The book is beautifully designed with photographs, side notes of interest, and crisply written text. The source notes, works cited page, glossary, and additional resources provide evidence that the author has clearly done her work well. The publisher also provides additional resources for those who want to use the book in education. A great nonfiction account on a controversial topic.

[Sharon]

Have you ever read a kids' non-fiction book, when you're 62, and exclaimed "Whaaaatt the hell?" The story of the nuclear tests on the Marshall Islands and the effects on the people there is simply amazing and pretty hard to swallow. I didn't know they planted animals in the bomb area to test effects of nuclear fallout. I didn't realize that the U.S. horn-swaggled Bikinians into giving up their land for a good cause. I didn't know we screwed up the environment of the Marshall Islands so badly to test our bombs. Over the years, the U.S. has moved people from island to island. The size and number of bombs plus the scope of the operation in terms of personnel is mind-boggling. How audacious! I am embarrassed not to have know the complete story before.

"As soon as the war ended, we located the one spont on Earth that hadn't been touched by war and blew it to hell." Bob Hope, quoted in Bombs Over Bikini.

The book is well-illustrated with excellent Source Notes and Selected Bibliography.

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book because I wanted to learn more about what has happened in history and more about bombs and or war.
This book was all about the bombs on bikini and what they had to do to detonate these bombs. The reason of why they launched this bomb was to see how things around the atomic bombs would react to the radiation. They would put animals on the island to see if they reacted differently or not. They told the Bikinians to effectuate but many older people rejected the request and stayed on the island even if they knew the consequences. They showed how things are now in the present and how they were in the past.
I am in the middle of I love this book to I hate this book. I think I am right in the middle because, it was a pretty good book and the detail was nice but the book was quite easy and if I were to read another book I would want one more in depth.
I don't know if I would request this to one of my friends but maybe someone who likes bombs would like this book.
I think the type of read that would read this book is someone who likes history and war and bombs.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bombs Over Bikini details the nuclear testing done in the Marshall Islands in the wake of WWII. This very informative book looks at how and why the islands were chosen and what happened during and after the tests. I found some of the sillier aspects of the tests fascinating. Putting animals in clothes or smearing them with sunscreen to test what would happen to people. Other things I found bizarre and tragic. Why islanders were not evacuated when it was clear there would be fallout. In the end I was left feeling extremely sorry for the people of the Bikini and Rongelap Atolls. They were forced to leave their homes, exposed to radiation, shuttled around and never fully compensated. It is a tragic era in the nuclear age. Hopefully one we have learned a lesson from.

I received a copy of this book from the publishers on Netgalley.com.

[Medeia Sharif · Rating 5 out of 5]

This non-fiction book details the nuclear bombing that occurred in the 1940’s and 1950’s in the Marshall Islands. The United States was thick into the Cold War and wanted to have an advantage over opposing nations. Because of the numerous bombings, the islands and their people suffered greatly. Their health and agriculture were affected from the fallout, as well as their living conditions whenever they were evacuated. Most of the animals used during testing died soon after. It was alarming to read about all the illnesses and deaths. The bombings, with the description of temperatures, clouds, and radiation levels, were scary. With pictures, captions, and other helpful text features, this book is informative and educational.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book to be very informative and well written. Although not a teen myself, I think teens would be less interested, unless they had a specific interest in the topic or needed the information for school. The pictures were good, but I would have liked to seen a bit more graphics (charts, infographics, more pictures, etc) in the book to break up some of the more wordy pages. I think the topic was well covered though, and a decent list of other sources is included in the back of the book, along with a bibliography. Overall, a decent nonfiction pick for teens, but not the best, and probably won't fly off the shelves.

[Jane Drabkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Students have seen the iconic photographs of the explosion of atomic bombs and this is the story behind of the pictures of bombs ignited simply to study thei results of nuclear bombs and the horrendous results of those decisions. This is a story of the callous indifference of the American military to the indigenous peoples of the South Pacific, the American military's arrogant disregard for the scientists' concerns, and political expediency. This overview gives the reader the basic facts of the nuclear testing with a few insightful peeks into the lives of the people of the Bikini atoll and the radiations effect on their lives.

[Heather Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Bombs Over Bikini" is an eye-opening look at a nearly forgotten episode in history. With pictures taken during the nuclear testing and afterward, young people will be taken back to the terrible days when the US needed to race ahead in nuclear weapon testing. The heart-breaking story of the Marshall Island's people and the effects this testing had on generations will cause any reader to think about history from a new perspective.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rare inside glimpse of the nuclear testing, relocation and ongoing results of America's decision to test in the Marshall Islands. Several stats described here truly haunt me. There's much evidence presented here that most readers may not have read in context and perhaps will help readers draw their own conclusions as well. A definite buy for most high schools.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: Nonfiction
Copyright: 2014
Thoughts: This was an interesting book and it included some really good graphics. Typically nonfiction isn't my favorite but this was a decent read. It was interesting reading about the test nuclear bombs used and how they effected the people who lived in the area.

[Jenny Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book! I had recently read Hiroshima with my World Lit students, so I was really interested in how responsible (or not) the U.S. was after finding out the effect nuclear weapons had on humans. It turns out our country was extraordinarily reckless with human lives and a very beautiful bit of our world. It's nonfiction, but a quick, informative read!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating read on the U.S. nuclear testing done in the Marshall Islands after WWII. Parts of this book are so difficult to believe... children playing in the nuclear fallout, American soldiers cleaning radioactive material from ships in shorts and swimming in radioactive waters. Whaaaat? Excited to promote this to my kids who love Sheinkin's book, Bomb.

[Salsabrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

You look back at history and shake your head at how ignorant we were. Who believed testing nuclear bombs would not affect the environment or the people of the Marshall Islands? Arrogant, ignorant American officials. A shocking piece of history with a compelling lesson that continues to impact the Marshallese to this day.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is chock full of information and pictures from the nuclear testing practiced at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands. It is a chilling look at a dark time in U.S. History--a time that should never be forgotten.

[lunarlibrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very valuable read to experience around the 69th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing. As usual, I prefer children's nonfiction to adult's, and this book was no exception. It hit the main facts hard; no diluting it with tons of extra words. Everyone should read this.

[Thomas Maluck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye-opening and horrifying. America lobbed nukes at a benign target when it wasn't necessary, displaced and mostly forgot the native people there, and can only do right by these atrocities by never using another nuclear weapon again (and worldwide nuclear disarmament).

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reviewed for professional publication.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

review of Bombs Over Bikini: The World's First Nuclear Disaster

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting/sad story of how humankind continues to mess with Mother Nature and lie about it to the people involved and to the rest of the world.