Biological Warfare – The Eleventh Plague

Biological warfare has a relatively long history where countries developed biological agents with the aim of deterring their enemies (Coel, 1996). Governments knew that biological agents had capacity to cause illness on people or even death. If the products targeted the army, the soldiers would be less effective to fight that making enemies win relatively easily. It was also common to find enemies polluting water sources to ensure that their opponents did not have safe water for drinking (Coel, 1996). Some of the biological agents have capacity to cause diseases limiting the ability of a country to engage in physical war. Issues of biological war were common during World War I especially from German, which necessitated America to set a secret program of developing its biological warfare materials (Regis, 1999). The government thought it wise to ensure that it had biological weapons to respond to possible external attacks. Indeed, the weapons were restricted for use during self-defense with the no intention to carry attacks using them. However, President Nixon outlawed the biological weapons in America due to conviction of their adverse effect on people and the environment.

Biological Warfare Issues

During the First World War, there was incidence of using anthrax in warfare that directed to animal populations (Coel, 1996). Further, during the period there was introduction of mustard gas a poisonous gas during the warfare. The gas used to target human beings, which upon breathing would cause breathing problems and possible deaths if intervention were unavailable on time. During this period, there was also outbreak of influenza that resulted to death of significant number of people (Coel, 1996). The horrors from the war made the world to come together and sign an agreement in 1925 called Geneva Protocol to control use of biological weapons (Coel, 1996). However, the protocol did not directly prohibit development and production of biological weapons. Indeed, the restriction imposed on all countries to ensure that none of the nations during war would use biological weapon. Despite the agreement, countries such as Japan and America did not ratify the treaty but secretly developed bioweapons (Regis, 1999). Other countries that developed biological weapons include Britain, Soviet Union and Germany (Regis, 1999).

The biological agents from America were relatively extensive but the country avoided using them during different combats. However, the move was to support respect of the treaty and imperfections that was evident in the bioweapons that were not technologically reliable(Regis, 1999). However, during World War II, Japan carried some tests with its biological weapons resulting to death of thousands of people(Regis, 1999). The tests were on war prisoners who got exposure to anthrax. Further, Japan carried attacks on China in Chekiang Province where it used airplanes to drop fleas grown in the laboratory(Regis, 1999). During the same period, Soviet Union infected German troops with biological agents that led to death of over 100,000 people in 1942 (Regis, 1999).  During this period, America was developing biowarfare agents such as viruses, bacteria and microbes (Regis, 1999). The agents had capacity to cause diseases in people and cause destruction to agricultural produce through fungal infection. The agents spread to their targets through aerosol sprays and bombs through use of ballistic missiles and aircrafts (Regis, 1999). 

However, through an executive order of 1969 president Nixon pledged that America unconditionally and unilaterally renounced biological weapons (Block, 2001). The order resulted to destruction of piles of biological weapons bit the defense department. There order covered need to destroy toxins weapons that were products of toxins produced through biological means. The destruction took place between 1971 and 1972 (Block, 2001). The impact was a new treaty in 1972 where 160 countries signed the deal promising to stop any further development of biological weapons (Block, 2001). Despite the agreement, some countries failed to ratify or sign the document. The convection came into force in 1975 where ambitious step came in place and banned chemical and biological weapons including procurement for development (Block, 2001). Unfortunately, there incorporation failed to put up mechanisms to make follow up on countries to ensure that they adhered to the convection. There was also evidence of hemorrhagic virus that cause fever and catered as a deadly pathogen facing humankind (Block, 2001). Scientists who worked as virologists developing the pathogens died when they encountered them (Block, 2001). 

Diseases/Weaponry Covered

There are different types of biological weapons that caused various diseases that were evident during the World War II. A common warfare weapon was anthrax developed from production of large quantities of anthrax bacilli (Frischknecht, 2003). In addition, small pox was developed and treated individuals through use of ballistic missiles (Frischknecht, 2003). The individuals that encountered these agents became sick and without timely intervention succumbed to the illnesses. In addition, an issue of engineered bacteria that was resistant to different drugs was developed (Frischknecht, 2003). When people encountered the bacteria, no medication would adequately help cure them and majority of them died. During the same period, non-governmental and state sponsored programs that developed biological weaponry were common. The biological pathogens caused serious problem in the population such as hepatitis, diarrhea and parasitic infections (Frischknecht, 2003). 

The Research on Biological Warfare

In an attempt to gauge the effect of biological weapons, the United States Navy in 1950 sprayed some microbes into fog that covered the city (Loria, 2016). The tests occurred for over one week where the population was not aware of such experiments (Loria, 2016). However, the tests lead to death of one person. There were also issues of individuals suffering from infection by bacteria that were continually mutilating making it hard to control by the medical practitioners (Loria, 2016). In one incidence, a patient suffering from marcescens microbes succumbed to death after diagnosis despite efforts to treat her condition (Loria, 2016). The condition has actually spread to affect a significant part of her heart. Indeed, the bacteria were part of the biological warfare that the U.S navy spread to control fog. Actually, the approach was bad because the government was using its people for dangerous experiments involving biological weapons. The tests were majorly evident in Minnesota and across Canadian border (Loria, 2016). 

The Influence of Foreign Competition within the Field of Biological Warfare

The world is facing different threats in security from different sources especially biological weapons that some countries are developing in secrecy. Different countries feel unsafe and find it necessary to prepare for any uncertainty that may originate from their enemies. Indeed, countries are facing asymmetric threats thus are likely to be less prepared to tackle them (Thompson, 2018). The perpetrators of threats including biological agents are diverse especially the terror groups. In North Korea and Pakistan, it is possible to prepare microbes in the laboratory, which transact in the market (Thompson, 2018). The limitation in the control of such tests and transactions pose danger to world from possible biological attack in future. The products have capacity to get use in illegitimate purposes causing death to innocent people. The problem with development of biological weapons in the world is possibility for mutation that makes it challenging to control their spread when released. The situation poses danger from terrorists that may turn to use biological weapons to target military forces from their enemy. A skillfully engineered microbe has capacity to spread relatively fast thus causing death to a significant population (Thompson, 2018). 

Conclusion

Biological warfare was common during the Second World War where disease-causing organism were common. The microbes had capacity to mutate thus making their control relatively difficult. Some of the diseases that were a result of biological weapon include small pox and anthrax. Thousands of people died and some had their health negatively affected. Though America was not openly using biological weapons during World War II their development was secret. However, in 1969 President Nixon illegalized production of biological weapons and ordered their destruction. In years that followed, countries signed convection with promise to stop biological weapons production or use in War. Despite the agreement, no regulation was in place to monitor activities of different countries thus promoting renewed threat of biological warfare in the world. 

References

Block, S. M. (2001). The Growing Threat of Biological Weapons. American Scientists, 89(1), 27-37 

Coel, L. A. (1996). The Eleventh Plague: The Politics Of Biological And Chemical Warfare. New York: Henry Colt and Company. 

Frischknecht, F. (2003).The History Of Biological Warfare. Embo Reports, 4(1), 47-52. 

Loria, K. (2016). Over And Over Again, The Military Has Conducted Dangerous Biowarfare On Americans. Business Insider. Retrieved December 10, 2018, from: https://www.businessinsider.com/military-government-secret-experiments-biological-chemical-weapons-2016-9?IR=T

Regis. (1999). The Biology of Doom: America’s Secret Germ Warfare Project. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 

Thompson, L. (2018). The Threat of Biological Warfare is increasing, and U.S isn’t Ready. Forbes. Retrieved December 10, 2018, from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthompson/2018/04/09/biowar-a-guide-to-the-coming-plague-years/#72d1d9015fe5