The U.S., France and China are the largest producers of nuclear power today.

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03
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God's Will
Exodus from Home
Plaything of the U.S. Army
The Promised Return
Short Happiness and Definite Farewell
The Contaminated Paradise

Paradise Lost

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world markerBikini Atoll
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Bikini Atoll in the Pacific. A Sunday morning in the fall of 1945. After church service.

Want to see something great, kid?

Here, have a look.

Whoaaa!

Hahaha!

Cool, isn't it?

Commodore Ben Wyatt negotiates with King Judah, the chief of Bikini Atoll.

Why should we leave?

We‘re fine here.

It is for a good cause and to end all world wars.

Besides ...

If it is for the sake of mankind, it will be God's will.

You won’t regret it, I promise you!

March 1946. The odyssey begins.
The people of Bikini Atoll leave their homeland so that the American army can test atomic bombs there.

You are doing a tremendous service to all mankind and you will be back soon.

The future is in God's hands ...

... in HIM we trust.

The new home on the atoll of Rongerik soon proves to be uninhabitable.

WAAH!
   WAAH!
 WAAH!

WAAH!
   WAAH!
 WAAH!

There is hardly any water or food.

WAAH!
   WAAH!
 WAAH!

WAAH!
   WAAH!
 WAAH!

WAAH!
   WAAH!
 WAAH!

We're out of supplies, King!

My child is hungry! What should we do?!

... back home!!

We want to go home!

Away from here!

We want to go back, King!

... back home!

The Americans will help us.

They’ll bring us to another island.

Due to the radiation, returning to Bikini Atoll will not happen for now. The citizens are promised a future on Ujelang.
But this plan also falls through. On short notice, the Americans settle another tribe on it.
The Bikini people are left with only a temporary tent camp next to a U.S. military base on Kwajalein.

Your new home, folks!

Here you will never go hungry again!

This is a military airport!

We can't stay here! Impossible!

On we go to Kili. Heavy surf prevents any fishing. The people from Bikini are again unable to provide for themselves.

The swell is too strong. Our boats are being battered by the waves ...

... I will ask the Americans if they can help us ...

Again, only canned food and Coca-Cola ...

1968, on the beach of Kili Atoll.

This is Lyndon B. Johnson, President of the United States, speaking ...

... The tests have been completed. The island has been decontaminated ...

... our friends and allies, the proud people of Bikini ...

... can now return to their paradise.

Hooray!!

Finally!

Thank God!

Really?

... the United States, on behalf of all mankind, expresses its gratitude for ...

Mom, does this mean we can go home?

Yes, my angel, thank God!

1972. The Bikinians can finally return to their homeland.

Welcome home, King!

We have planted 1,500 new palm trees.

And for each family, there is a small cottage.

Thank you very much ... We had to wait a long time for this.

As you said, King: Everything is in God's hands.

But the happiness does not last long.

That's all I could catch, King ...

So little ... strange ...

The fish just won't bite!!!

Hmm ... May I?

This doesn't look good ...

The radiation is too high, even life-threatening!

But we were told that everything was clean and freshly built.

Today, we have more accurate measuring instruments.

The radiation will remain for centuries.
September 1978, 31 years after their first exile, the Bikinans have to leave their island for a second time.
Today, Bikini Atoll is considered a diver's paradise.
Permanent settlement on the island is still impossible.
The Bikinians live scattered out on various islands across the Pacific.

King Judah died in 1998.
Possibly from late onset side effects of years of radiation.

To date, over 2,100 nuclear bomb tests have taken place around the world.
It is estimated that about 200,000 people have died from the late onset side effects.
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