Little known and yet remarkable in its scope is japans biological warfare program during world war ii. Britain conducted several trials with biological warfare agents in the bahamas, in the isles of lewis, and in scottish waters to refine these weapons. Biological warfare events bw is widely regarded as the absolute perversion of medical science 1. Biological warfare was the focus of billiondollar investments by the united states and the former soviet union until president nixons unilateral abjuration in 1969. Before the 20th century, the use of biological agents took three major forms. Polluting wells and other sources of water of the opposing army was a common strategy that continued to be used through the many european. The following events, some proved and some alleged, comprise a short history of biological warfare. Biological warfare bwalso known as germ warfareis the use of biological toxins or infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, insects, and fungi with the intent to kill or incapacitate humans, animals or plants as an act of war. R apply knowledge of chemical and biological warfare to anticipate trauma, radiological, and chemical injuries that may be seen in the o. Other effects identify the role of the surgical technologist. However, during the last century, several tens of thousands of people were killed. Unfortunately, throughout history, those driven by this impetus have caused numerous crimes against innocent persons. Feb 01, 2010 timeline world history documentaries 4,279,282 views 1.
Toxins, considered midspectrum agents, do not reproduce in their host as would a bacterium or virus and often react more rapidly. Biological weapons include pathogenic viruses, bacteria, and biological toxins. Biological and chemical warfare what does it mean to me. Among the countries that developed a massive programme on bioweapons research, in the postworld wars era, is iraq. As expressed by a prominent expert on the topic, the transcendence of biological warfareover medicine and public health, private criminal acts, terrorism, interstate warfare, and international law directed at the elimination of biological warfaremakes this one of the most intricate topics of discourses, poses very difficult problems. Department of defense dod the institute for national strategic studies at the national defense university has published a strategic forum report number 58, january 1996 biological warfare. History of biological warfare and bioterrorism sciencedirect. Biological warfare and the american civil war 831 words 4 pages. Chapter 2 history of chemical and biological warfare. Biological warfare also known as germ warfare is the use of biological toxins or infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi with intent to kill or incapacitate humans, animals or plants as an act of war by a state or nation. Attempts to use biological warfare agents date back to antiquity.
Biological warfare is a relatively old concept that has been in use for nearly 2500 years. Len horowitz a history of us biological warfare research. As early as the 14th century, corpses of plague victims were catapulted by mongols over their walls into the black sea port of caffa, forcing the terrified occupants of the region to flee. Biological warfare has been used throughout history. To put these future threats into perspective, i discuss in this article the history of biological. The use of bacteriological agents in an armed conflict can be dated back to 46, at kaffa now feodossia where the bodies of tartar soldiers who succumbed to the plague were thrown over the walls of the besieged city. Biological warfare has been used as a weapon in conflicts for centuries, with wideranging and often unforeseen and uncontrolled effects on military and civilian populations 4. During the past century, the progress made in biotechnology and biochemistry has simplified the development and production of such weapons.
The crude use of filth and cadavers, animal carcasses, and contagion had devastating effects and weakened the enemy. Plans for pilot biological warfare were made, and research continued on the development of new biological agents and weapons design. Biological warfare has been practiced repeatedly throughout history. Overview of chemical and biological warfare seminate ricin rather than the more efficient bomblets, which the united states had developed during world war ii.
Cole professor of political science, rutgers university,newark, nj author, the 11th plague. Chemicalbiological warfare is the term used to describe the use of chemical or biological agents as weapons to injure or kill humans, livestock, or plants. Biological weapon, any of a number of diseaseproducing agentssuch as bacteria, viruses, rickettsiae, fungi, toxins, or other biological agentsthat may be utilized as weapons against humans, animals, or plants. Includes expert guidelines, research reports, conference proceedings, training classes, fact sheets, websites, databases, and more. Primarily, five types of biological agents can be potentially used as biological weapons. Contagious diseases and other biological weapons were recognized for their potential impact on armies or people as early as the 14th century bc. This document provides a brief history of biological warfare from 46 to 1992. However, an indian manual of statecraft from the same era.
The history of biological weapons use swiss biosafety network. The searches below find resources from two national library of medicine databases. Of particular concern are genetically altered microorganisms, which are engineered to target a specific group of people. Biological agents are divided into categories based on the type of pathogen involved.
To accept cookies from this site, please click the allow cookies button below. Learn about various types of bioweapons and the precautions being taken to minimize their impact. There are also some biological agents that could be used to promote the deterioration of key materials. Biological warfare has evolved from the crude use of cadavers to contaminate water supplies to the development of specialized. Biological agents may be any type of organism that can cause disease in man, animals, or plants. This has included the use of biological agents microbes and plants as well as the biotoxins, including venoms, derived from them. Biological warfare diplomacy and biological warfare, early.
Centuries ago, armies would occasionally catapult the bodies of people who had died of plagues into cities under siege in hopes of spreading disease, a tactic that often proved successful. Pdf the history of biological warfare researchgate. British army gave smallpoxinfested blankets to american indians during the french and indian war. There is an overlap between biological warfare and chemical warfare as defined by the biological weapons convention and the chemical weapons convention when the nonliving toxins produced by living organisms are used. Research continued following world war ii as the u.
There are numerous examples from the past which has proven the high lethality of biological weapons. Toxins, poisons of biological origin, are similar to chemical warfare agents and also have been banned by the chemical weapons convention. Jul 10, 2018 biological warfare is the tactic of using poisonous substances to subdue or kill mass amounts of soldiers or civilians. The hittites might have produced the first documented example of bw by sending diseased rams possibly infected with tularaemia to their enemies to weaken them 3. This history focuses on those agents covered by the bwc, which prohibited weapons disseminating biological agents or toxins. United states biological weapons program wikipedia. Probably, the most extensive and most horrorific biological weapons research and deployment occurred in manchuria from 1932 until the end of the war. Biological warfare is as old as civilization, observes block, but it was international revulsion over the widespread use of poisonous mustard gas during world war i that finally. Many chemical weapon research programs often ran together with equally sophisticated biological weapons programs, enriching data on.
Biological and chemical warfare books casemate publishers. Over the course of its 27year history, the program weaponized and stockpiled the following seven bioagents and pursued. Biological warfare has been used as a weapon in conflicts for centuries, with wideranging and often unforeseen and uncontrolled effects on. In the latter case, or if a nationstate uses it clandestinely, it may also be considered bioterrorism. Early history of biological warfare examples of the use of biological weapons exist in ancient records. Deliberate contamination of food and water with poisonous or contagious material. Biological warfare volume 7, number 6december 2001. The first form of biological warfare may have been when the plague hit the mongols. Pathogens are microorganisms that can cause disease.
Tucker beaudoin hty 278 online essay january 18, 2015 biological warfare a biological weapon is defined as any of a number of diseaseproducing agents, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and toxins, that may be utilized as weapons against humans, animals or plants. A nation at riska time to act by the honorable richard danzig, under secretary of the navy defense technical information center a key element of the dod scientific and. The inquisitori di stato di venezia inquisitors of the state of venice had been established during 1539, after the decision of the consiglio dei dieci council of ten to protect the state. Biological warfare is a military technique that can be used by nationstates or nonnational groups. The federation of american scientists chemical and biological arms control program covers all aspects of chemical and biological weapons and their control, but concentrates, at present, on efforts to prevent the development and use of biological weapons bw and the further proliferation of bw programs. In the fourth century bc, the greek historian herodotus relates that scythian. It started its research and development programme in the field of biological warfare in 1974, contextualising it in an organisation called the state organization for trade and industry davis, 1999. Certainly, the indian manual of statecraft, kautiliyas. Inquisitori di stato and the idea of biological warfare. Biological warfare is the tactic of using poisonous substances to subdue or kill mass amounts of soldiers or civilians. The target of the biological weapon during the war can be in a group of people, an individual or even the whole population. Scythian archers infected their arrows by dipping them in decomposing bodies or in blood mixed with manure as far back as 400 bc. A comprehensive overview of the development, future, and implications of biological and chemical weapons. Biological warfare plan in the 17th centurythe siege of.
Shiro ishii from 1932 to 1942 and then kitano misaji from 1942 until 1945, unit 731 employed a staff of over 3,000 scientists and. Spierss book traces the origins of chemical and biological warfare from their ancient beginnings to the first major use of gas in 1915 in world war i, to more recent uses and suspicions of use. This intelligence service was one of the most effective and deadly in the history of espionage. History of biological warfare and bioterrorism request pdf. Biological warfare biological warfare also known as germ warfare is the use of biological toxin or infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses and fungi with an intent to kill humans, animals or plants. Handbook of chemical and biological warfare agents d. The first world war was a period of transition between the premodern and modern ages of warfare. History early history 191841 the united states biological weapons program officially began in spring 1943 on orders from u. Christopher gw, cieslak tj, pavlin ja, eitzen em, jr. New technology and future developments in biological warfare. Biological weapons often termed bioweapons, biological threat agents, or bioagents are living organisms or replicating entities viruses, which are.
It is unclear when they were first used intentionally for the purpose of warfare. Biological weapon, also called germ weapon, any of a number of diseaseproducing agentssuch as bacteria, viruses, rickettsiae, fungi, toxins, or other biological agentsthat may be utilized as weapons against humans, animals, or plants the direct use of infectious agents and poisons against enemy personnel is an ancient practice in warfare. For more information on what data is contained in the cookies, please see our cookie policy. Biological warfare agents may be more potent than conventional and chemical weapons. The united states biological weapons program began in 1943 and was discontinued in 1969. Infectious diseases were recognized for their potential impact on people and armies as early as 600 bc. Biological warfare or terrorism is the deliberate distribution of biological agents in order to inflict harm on humans or animals or to damage plants. Oct 18, 2001 the group attempted on at least 10 occasions to release biological warfare agents in aerosol form. This declaration was followed by the negotiation, ratification, and coming into force in 1975 of the biological weapons convention, a categorical ban on the development. History of biological warfare and bioterrorism core. Evidence exists for deliberate use of microorganisms and toxins as bioweapons throughout history. Biological warfare an overview sciencedirect topics. Medical aspects of biological warfare introduction of biological weapons, including secrecy surrounding biological weapons programs, difficulties confirming allegations of biological attack, the lack of reliable microbiological and epidemiological data regarding alleged or attempted attacks, and the use of allegations of biological attack for.
An american perspective 11 named, in 1911, and the causative agent was identified the next year. This has included the use of biological agents microbes and plants as well as the biotoxins, including venoms, derived from them before the 20th century, the use of biological agents took three major forms. Biological agents are replicating biological entities, such as bacteria. The venetian plan is another example in the history of biological warfare. The war saw cavalries but also trench warfare, the beginning of air and. Biological warfare or germ warfare is when pathogens are used as a weapon. The agents that can be used in biological warfare vary widely in their genetic composition, cellular structure, lethality, incubation periods, contagiousness, and other factors. The use of biological agents is not a new concept, and history is filled with examples of their use. Timeline world history documentaries 4,279,282 views 1. Although biological weapons have been used only sporadically throughout human history, and their military effectiveness has never been clearly demonstrated by use in war, the impact of natural disease outbreaks continually reminds us that they are potentially very effective weapons. Biological warfare simple english wikipedia, the free.
All the virology on the www biological weapons and warfare. The eleventh plague by jeff hirsch, stormbreaker by anthony horowitz, plum island by nelson demille, the cobra event. Chemical biological warfare is the term used to describe the use of chemical or biological agents as weapons to injure or kill humans, livestock, or plants. Biologicaltype weapons have been used many times in history. Anthrax, biological warfare, bioterrorism, history, military. The group attempted on at least 10 occasions to release biological warfare agents in aerosol form. From poisoned darts to intentional epidemics the smallpox hospital. Biological warfare diplomacy and biological warfare. Various types of biological warfare bw have been practiced repeatedly throughout history. The direct use of infectious agents and poisons against enemy personnel is an ancient. The history of biological warfare friedrich frischknecht 1. Chemical weapons are devices that use chemicals to inflict death or injury. If nonliving things like toxins are used, this is called chemical warfare biological warfare has been used throughout history.
In particular, it raises the problem that biological weapons can be used in the name of religious faith, motivated by a deep fanaticism. And as our knowledge of the biology of diseasecausing agentsviruses, bacteria and toxins increases, it is legitimate to fear that modified pathogens could constitute devastating agents for biological warfare. Military actions which involve biological weapons would fall into the separate category of biological warfare, and could easily be expanded into another article or even a book. If nonliving things like toxins are used, this is called chemical warfare. This website requires cookies to provide all of its features.