Johnston Atoll
Photo: thelivingmoon.com
Johnston Atoll may be a small and uninhabited island, but it is an utterly fascinating U.S. territory.
Once again, the U.S. came to possess this territory as part of the Guano Act. About thirty years after it was acquired, though, the island’s guano supply ran dry. From there, it briefly served as a wildlife refuge.
The islands fate changed drastically when the U.S. military gained control of the island in 1934. At first, the U.S. used the area as a pretty standard military base. Over the years, though, American military members realized that the island’s remote nature allowed for certain advantages.
Since then, this island has been the source of many secret military experiments. Said experiments include nuclear weapon testing, the creation of satellite defenses, and storage of the chemical weapon known as Agent Orange.
While this island is no longer used for such purposes, its history has earned it quite the reputation.