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Nic Maclellan Profile picture
@MaclellanNic
Oct 2, 2022 • 10 tweets • 6 min read • Read on X
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Today marks the 70th anniversary of Operation Hurricane: the first atmospheric test of a British #nuclear weapon in Australia. A plutonium implosion device was detonated on 3 October 1952 in Main Bay, Trimouille Island, in the Monte Bello Islands off Western Australia. THREAD Image
After the United States refused to let Britain use test sites in Nevada and Marshall Islands, the first UK atomic device was transported to Australia aboard HMS Plym. At Monte Bello the bomb was detonated inside the frigate, to simulate an enemy sailing a bomb into a British port Image
The Hurricane test had an explosive yield of 25 kilotons – larger than the blast which destroyed the Japanese city of Hiroshima. It spread contaminated debris over Trimouille Island and, as winds changed, fallout to the mainland. ImageImageImageImage
At the time, the UK Daily Mirror declared: “This bang has changed the world… it signalled the undisputed return of Britain to her historic position as one of the world’s great powers. She can defend herself, she can defend others.”
damned.mirror.co.uk/img/docs/hurri…
A 1952 UK propaganda film claimed “this test was carried out with the fullest co-operation of the Commonwealth of Australia.” Not true, as the #atomic tests were initially approved by Prime Minister Robert Menzies without Cabinet or parliamentary approval. media.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php/oper…
After more Mosaic tests at Monte Bello in 1956, Supply Minister Howard Beale prevailed on newspaper editors to “damp down” reports of a fallout cloud passing across the mainland: “Had this wild story really got going, I doubt that we could have gone ahead with any more tests.” Image
Today, 70 years after the first British #nuclear test in #OperationHurricane, the Australian Radiation Protection and Safety Agency (ARPANSA) advises visitors not to spend more than an hour per day at contaminated sites at Monte Bello. arpansa.gov.au/understanding-… Image
Hurricane was the first of 12 UK atomic tests in Australia between 1952-57 at Monte Bello, Emu Field and Maralinga - a prequel to the development of the British hydrogen bomb, with nine thermonuclear weapons tests on Malden and Kiritimati Islands in 1957-8 press.anu.edu.au/publications/s…
UK, Australian, NZ and Fijian veterans are still campaigning for compensation for the adverse health effects of exposure to ionising #radiation – successive UK governments have refused to set up adequate compensation programs for the 20,000+ participants.
whynow.co.uk/read/britain-n… Image
For more history of UK nuclear colonialism in Australia and the effects on indigenous Anangu and service personnel, get Elizabeth Tynan’s 2016 “Atomic Thunder: the Maralinga story” and her new book “The Secret of Emu Field.” @BNTVA @atomiclabrats
australianbookreview.com.au/abr-online/cur…

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More from @MaclellanNic

Nic Maclellan Profile picture
May 30
Don’t understand the proposed voting reforms that are the trigger of recent clashes in #NewCaledonia? You’re not the only one! Many French politicians don’t understand the details of New Caledonia’s three electoral rolls. If you want to get into the weeds, here’s some resources🧵 Image
A central feature of #NewCaledonia’s 1998 Noumea Accord was the creation of New Caledonian citizenship. Entrenched in the French Constitution, this is unique in French law (e.g. doesn’t exist in #FrenchPolynesia). But how to define who is a citizen? peaceagreements.org/wggsite/downlo…
Since 1983, the independence movement – with majority support of indigenous Kanak – has welcomed the “victims of history” as New Caledonians. These are the descendants of the Communards, Algerian rebels, indentured labourers and settlers brought from France from the 19th Century. Image
Read 12 tweets
Nic Maclellan Profile picture
May 21
As he flies to #NewCaledonia to meet political leaders, French President Emmanuel #Macron will be accompanied by Overseas and Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin and Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Locornu. But both ministers bear heavy responsibility for the current crisis. THREAD Image
President Macron says he wants to revive talks between the French State, the #FLNKS independence movement and anti-independence parties on a new statute for #NewCaledonia. But FLNKS trust in Macron and his Overseas Minister has been badly damaged – they wants impartial mediators. Image
Earlier this year, the #FLNKS called for “establishment of a mediation mission led by a high-level dignitary, in order to guarantee the impartiality of the French State and to open a new phase of discussion.” Today’s flying visit by Macron does not match this description! Image
Read 16 tweets
Nic Maclellan Profile picture
May 21
President Emmanual Macron is travelling to #NewCaledonia in coming hours, in response to more than a week of riots and clashes between independence activists, French police and anti-independence militias. THREAD
lemonde.fr/en/france/arti…
AFP reports that Macron will "listen to, talk and hold discussions with New Caledonian elected officials" in an attempt to restore order, and "give answers to the many legitimate questions New Caledonians are asking, both on the reconstruction side and the political side. Image
For his last visit in July 2023 (pictured here) he spoke before supporters in Noumea’s central square, waving the French tricolour. Macron said “New Caledonia is French because it has chosen to remain French” after three referendums under the Noumea Accord
islandsbusiness.com/news-break/mac…
Image
Read 9 tweets
Nic Maclellan Profile picture
Oct 14, 2023
Today's the 70th anniversary of the first British atomic test on the mainland of Australia, codenamed Totem 1. On 15 October 1953, the UK government – with the complicity and approval of Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies – sent radioactive fallout across the desert. THREAD Image
Yami Lester was ten years old when Totem 1 was detonated at Emu Field on 15 October 1953. The isolated test site in the desert of South Australia was downwind from his home at Wallatinna, and he later spoke of the ‘puyu’ or black mist, as wind carried dust into his eyes. Image
“It wasn’t long after that a black smoke came through. A strange black smoke it was shiny and oily. A few hours later we all got crook, every one of us. We were all vomiting, we had diarrhoea, skin rashes and sore eyes. I had really sore eyes. Some of the older people, they died” Image
Read 13 tweets
Nic Maclellan Profile picture
Oct 2, 2022
Launch at #SOTP22 of the first Pacific Attitudes Survey (PAS), conducted in Samoa. PAS gauged views of ordinary Samoans on questions related to democracy, economics, governance, tradition, climate change, social media and international relations.
openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/26…
Lots of interesting findings on generational differences in political attitudes: Samoan respondents aged 21-29 were significantly less likely (57.9%) to agree that ‘democracy is always preferable to any other kind of government’ than respondents aged 30-59 (67.3%) or 60+ (68.8%).
Responses on climate raise many more questions about awareness of climate effects amongst rural populations, the theology of disasters, and fatalism about responses: “Higher levels of education correlate significantly with greater concern about climate change and its impacts.”
Read 7 tweets
Nic Maclellan Profile picture
Nov 7, 2021
Today is the anniversary of Britain's Grapple X nuclear test, a 1.8 megaton hydrogen bomb exploded on Christmas (Kiritimati) Island in 1957. Decades on, Britain still refuses to provide compensation and health care to the surviving Fijian, NZ and i-Kiribati participants. Thread…
Three previous tests had been held at Malden Island, hundreds of miles to the south of the UK base on Kiritimati. In a hurry, Grapple X was conducted on the South East corner of Kiritimati, close to camps where hundreds of British, Fijian, NZ and Gilbertese personnel were living.
UK Colonial Office archives reveal the timing was rushed before an international n-testing moratorium: “Because time is so short, it has been decided to carry out the November tests off the south east tip of Christmas Island: it would have taken too long to set up Malden again…”
Read 7 tweets

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