ap ▁and ▁J al uit . ▁ ▁The ▁battle ▁in ▁the ▁Marshall ▁Islands ▁caused ▁irre par able ▁damage , ▁especially ▁on ▁Japanese ▁bases . ▁During ▁the ▁American ▁bomb ing , ▁the ▁islands ' ▁population ▁suffered ▁from ▁lack ▁of ▁food ▁and ▁various ▁inj uries . ▁Of ▁the ▁ 5 1 0 0 - man ▁Japanese ▁g arrison ▁( 2 6 0 0 ▁Imperial ▁Japanese ▁Navy ▁and ▁ 2 5 0 0 ▁Imperial ▁Japanese ▁Army ) ▁on ▁the ▁M ili ▁At oll ▁only ▁half ▁surv ived ▁to ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁ ▁Trust ▁Territ ory ▁of ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Islands ▁ ▁Following ▁capture ▁and ▁occupation ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁the ▁Marshall ▁Islands , ▁along ▁with ▁several ▁other ▁island ▁groups ▁located ▁in ▁Mic ron esia , ▁passed ▁formally ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁under ▁United ▁Nations ▁aus p ices ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Trust ▁Territ ory ▁of ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Islands ▁established ▁purs u ant ▁to ▁Security ▁Council ▁Resol ution ▁ 2 1 . ▁ ▁N uc lear ▁testing ▁during ▁the ▁Cold ▁War ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁the ▁early ▁years ▁of ▁the ▁Cold ▁War , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁tested ▁ 6 7 ▁nuclear ▁weapons ▁at ▁its ▁Pacific ▁Pro ving ▁Gr ounds ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁Marshall ▁Islands , ▁including ▁the ▁largest ▁atmos pher ic ▁nuclear ▁test ▁ever ▁conducted ▁by ▁the ▁U . S ., ▁code ▁named ▁Castle ▁Bra vo . ▁" The ▁bomb s ▁had ▁a ▁total