ZKEA

Emerging Diseases : Biological Terrorism : Biological Warfare

History, World War 2

Applying the efficiency, thoroughness and concern for quality that are their cultural hallmarks, the Japanese pioneered the fundamental technology that ensured the purity and potency of weaponized biological agents. They also pioneered novel delivery mechanisms, including efficient aerosols and plague-laden bomblets. As in any new technology, the results needed validation by guinea pigs. In this case the guinea pigs were prisoners-of-war and captured civilians. Primarily Chinese and Koreans, these unfortunate souls were exposed to a variety of lethal pathogens under a variety of conditions. From these experiments the Japanese gained invaluable information on which weapons worked best under which conditions. They took copious notes.

The products of all this effort were then liberally used against the Chinese, first in the Manchurian campaigns and then later in the world war itself. The human cost of these attacks has never been fully revealed, at least not in unclassified sources. However it is a mark of Japan's esteem of the program that funding was increased yearly all the way to the end of the war. Another mark of its success was the intense American interest in the program.

After the war the United States pardoned the senior members of Unit 731 and gratefully took their weapons and research results. This became the basis of America's own biological warfare program. The countless dead Chinese and Korean civilians did not die in vain. The notes and research results gleaned from their deaths were put into the service of democracy and freedom.

All this is a good example of the cross-over effect: one man's terrorist is simply another man's good soldier. What is terrorism and what is military strategy? Japanese Unit 731 was acting on direct command and control of the Japanese military. Therefore, in a strict dictionary sort of way, perhaps some wouldn't think of them as terrorists. Beyond the actual military men, some were capable scientists who were highly regarded in the civilian sphere - hardly raving lunatics.

Of course, this starkly demonstrates the nature of the problem. Biological weapons are inherently dehumanizing. Evil arises naturally from their mere existence. But let's not blame the Japanese. Recall that Russia, the United States, France and a host of other countries have or are developing biological weapons. Comparatively, the intent of many of these weapons make the Japanese efforts look like a picnic of nuns. Of course, these more modern weapons are usually positioned as being strictly for "defense". But from there it is easy to cross the boundary to offense and mass-murder, as history shows.

Link: Unit 731
Link: Germ War 731
Link: The secret history of anthrax (World War 2, Isshi, Unit 731, Fort Detrick).
Link: The U.S. Perspective