BOMBS AT BIKINI 



1. By direction of the President, you are 

 designated commander of a task force under 

 the Joint Chiefs of Staif for the purpose of 

 conducting tests for the determination of the 

 effects of atomic explosives against naval ves- 

 sels in order to appraise the strategic implica- 

 tions of atomic bombs including the results 

 on naval design and tactics. You will organ- 

 ize a joint staff with adequate representation 

 of land, sea, and air forces. You will include 

 civilian scientists in your organization. 



2. The general requirements of the test will be 

 to determine the effects of atomic explosives 

 against ships selected to give good representa- 

 tion of construction of modern naval and mer- 

 chant vessels suitably disposed to give a grada- 

 tion of damage from maximum to minimum. 

 It is desired to include in the tests both air 

 detonation and underwater detonation if the 

 latter is considered feasible. Tests should be 

 so arranged as to take advantage of oppor- 

 tunities to obtain the effects of atomic explo- 

 sives against ground and air targets and to 

 acquire scientific data of general value if this 

 is practicable. 



3. You are authorized to deal directly with 

 agencies of the War and Navy Department 

 in all matters relating to the preparation for 

 the conduct of these tests; including direct 

 access to the Manhattan District. Usual serv- 

 vice lines will be available for administrative 

 and logistic support of forces assigned. . . . 



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