Poisoning the Pacific: The US Military's Secret Dumping of Plutonium, Chemical Weapons, and Agent Orange (Asia/Pacific/Perspectives)

For decades, US military operations have been contaminating the Pacific region with toxic substances, including plutonium, dioxin, and VX nerve agent. Hundreds of thousands of service members, their families, and residents have been exposed—but the United States has hidden the damage and refused to help victims. After World War II, the United States granted immunity to Japanese military scientists in exchange for their data on biological weapons tests conducted in China; in the following years, nuclear detonations in the Pacific obliterated entire islands and exposed Americans, Marshallese, Chamorros, and Japanese fishing crews to radioactive fallout. At the same time, the United States experimented with biological weapons on Okinawa and stockpiled the island with nuclear and chemical munitions, causing numerous accidents. Meanwhile, the CIA orchestrated a campaign to introduce nuclear power to Japan—the folly of which became horrifyingly clear in the 2011 meltdowns in Fukushima Prefecture. Caught in a geopolitical grey zone, US territories have been among the worst affected by military contamination, including Guam, Saipan, and Johnston Island, the final disposal site of apocalyptic volumes of chemical weapons and Agent Orange. Accompanying this damage, US authorities have waged a campaign of cover-ups, lies, and attacks on the media, which the author has experienced firsthand in the form of military surveillance and attempts by the State Department to impede his work. Now, for the first time, this explosive book reveals the horrific extent of contamination in the Pacific and the lengths the Pentagon will go to conceal it. In this devastating exposé, investigative journalist Jon Mitchell reveals the shocking toxic contamination of the Pacific Ocean and millions of victims by the US military.For decades, US military operations have been contaminating the Pacific region with toxic substances, including plutonium, dioxin, and VX nerve agent. Hundreds of thousands of service members, their families, and residents have been exposed—but the United States has hidden the damage and refused to help victims. After World War II, the United States granted immunity to Japanese military scientists in exchange for their data on biological weapons tests conducted in China; in the following years, nuclear detonations in the Pacific obliterated entire islands and exposed Americans, Marshallese, Chamorros, and Japanese fishing crews to radioactive fallout. At the same time, the United States experimented with biological weapons on Okinawa and stockpiled the island with nuclear and chemical munitions, causing numerous accidents. Meanwhile, the CIA orchestrated a campaign to introduce nuclear power to Japan—the folly of which became horrifyingly clear in the 2011 meltdowns in Fukushima Prefecture. Caught in a geopolitical grey zone, US territories have been among the worst affected by military contamination, including Guam, Saipan, and Johnston Island, the final disposal site of apocalyptic volumes of chemical weapons and Agent Orange.Accompanying this damage, US authorities have waged a campaign of cover-ups, lies, and attacks on the media, which the author has experienced firsthand in the form of military surveillance and attempts by the State Department to impede his work. Now, for the first time, this explosive book reveals the horrific extent of contamination in the Pacific and the lengths the Pentagon will go to conceal it. POISONING THE PACIFIC CONTENTS Author’s Note Foreword Introduction 1 Japanese Weapons of Mass Destruction and the US Cover-up 2 Nuclear Warfare in Japan and the Marshall Islands 3 Okinawa: “The Junk Heap of the Pacific” 4 Military Herbicides, Vietnam, and Okinawa 5 Polluting with Impunity 6 Okinawa: Paradise Lost Timeline: Environmental Contamination and Accidents on Okinawa (1947–2019) 7 Japan: Contamination, Nuclear Deals, and the Fukushima Meltdowns 8 Toxic Territories: Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Johnston Atoll 9 Toward Environmental Justice Appendix: Contaminants Notes Bibliography Acknowledgments Index About the Author Japanese weapons of mass destruction and the US cover-up -- Nuclear warfare in Japan and the Marshall Islands -- Okinawa : "the junk heap of the Pacific" -- Military herbicides, Vietnam, and Okinawa -- Polluting with impunity -- Okinawa, paradise lost -- Environmental contamination and accidents on Okinawa (1947-2019) -- Japan : contamination, nuclear deals and the Fukushima meltdowns -- Toxic territories : Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Johnston Atoll -- Towards environmental justice -- Appendix: Contaminants ~ 2021 Society of Environmental Journalists' Rachel Carson Environment Book Award winner (Second Place) ~ For decades, the US military has been contaminating the Pacific region with toxic substances. Thousands of service members, their families, and local residents have been exposed - but the US has hidden the damage and refused to help victims. This book reveals the enormous extent of contamination and the lengths the Pentagon will go to conceal it. "For decades, the US military has been contaminating the Pacific region with toxic substances. Thousands of service members, their families, and local residents have been exposed-but the US has hidden the damage and refused to help victims. This book reveals the enormous extent of contamination and the lengths the Pentagon will go to conceal it"-- Provided by publisher For Decades, The Us Military Has Been Contaminating The Pacific Region With Toxic Substances. Service Members, Their Families, And Residents Have Been Exposed--but The Us Has Long Hidden The Damage And Ignored Victims. This Explosive Book Reveals The Extent Of Contamination In The Pacific And The Lengths The Pentagon Will Go To Conceal It.