page 136 



THE CURTAIN RISES WITHIN THE LAGOON. 



This is one of the earliest views obtained of the 

 target array as it appeared after bombardment. 

 The base of the condensation cloud that previously 

 shielded the ships from the prying eyes of remote 

 and shore-based cameras has disappeared. Its 

 upper portion still remains, hanging over the la- 

 goon like a thick gray blanket. Somewhere in that 

 blanket of vapor another atomic bomb phenome- 

 non, the familiar mushroom cloud, has started its 

 rapid ascent to the substratosphere. Black clouds 

 of soot were dislodged from the interior of funnels 

 by the impact of the shock wave and air-blasted 

 skyward by the turbulent wind currents following 

 it. Smoke from fires started by the bomb can also 

 be seen. OPPOSITE. The mushroom cloud as seen 

 from an observer ship standing 20 miles off Bikini. 

 Heat from the bomb, travelling with the speed of 

 light, was felt simultaneously with the first flash. 



