Castle Bravo

Castle Bravo was a significant nuclear test conducted by the United States on March 1, 1954, on Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands. It was the first test of a fusion-based hydrogen bomb and resulted in an explosion far more powerful than anticipated—about 15 megatons of TNT. This was over twice the expected yield and caused widespread radioactive fallout, affecting nearby islands and the local population. The test raised global concerns about nuclear safety and the environmental impact of nuclear weapons, marking a pivotal moment in the Cold War arms race.