Cited by G.W. Merck, 'Historical Report of War Research Service', Nov. 1944. National Academy of Sciences Archives. Committees on Biological Warfare. Box 5 Series 4: War Research Service.
Description:

'CHRONOLOGY ON B.W.

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September 1941 - A Medical Research Division in the Technical Service, CWS, established to further organisation of B.W. research and development.

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December 4, 1942 - General Styer delivers verbal directive to General Porter, Chemical Warfare Service, re CWS collaboration with WRS on B.W. research projects.

March 31, 1943 October 29, 1943 - War Research Service requests Chemical Warfare Service to carry on supplemental research and development on a total of eight projects.

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December 18, 1943 - War Research Service writes Secretary of War asking permission to request Chemical Warfare Service to manufacture and stockpile certain B.W. agents.

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January 13, 1944 - Secretary of War issues directive giving Chemical Warfare Service responsibility for large part of B.W. weapons program with the cooperation of the Surgeon General in defensive matters, and redefining the responsibilities of WRS.

January 18, 1944 - Special Projects Division established within the Office of the Chief, Chemical Warfare Service to implement the B.W. program.

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July 13, 1944 - U.S. Naval Unit incorporated in Special Projects Division, CWS.' (ff. 8-10)

 

'ORIENTATION NARRATIVE OF UNITED STATES ACTIVITIES IN BIOLOGICAL WARFARE

General Background Before World War II

In the years between World Wars I and II, considerable interest existed among both scientists and military men of all countries in the general subject of biological warfare. This is amply proved by reference to the extensive b.w. bibliography prepared by the Chemical Warfare Service and the National Academy of Sciences, which indicates speculation during this period along scientific, military and popular journalistic lines.

Much of this speculation was based on pieces of incontrovertible fact, showing that the German Government experimented in World War I with living organisms for the destruction of animals:

1. Intelligence reports show that the German army attempted not without success in 1916-18 to inoculate Allied forces' cavalry animals with the causative agent of glanders. Equipment for this purpose was discovered in the German embassy at Bucharest when Roumania entered the war on the side of the Allies.

2. Testimony taken in the investigation of the famous Black Tom case in the United States, which deals largely with German sabotage and espionage in this country, before the United States entered World War I, indicates that German agents were equipped with a device by which they inoculated remount animals with the causative agent of anthrax in the depots where horses and mules were collected for shipment to France and England.

In 1934, the British journalist Wickham Steed, wrote a highly sensational article based on documents in his possession which he claimed had been extracted from the files of the German General Staff. These concerned experiments by German agents with non-pathogenic organisms in the ventilating systems of the London Underground and the Paris Metro designed to prove the feasibility of introducing bacteria and viruses for mass inhalation, thus producing a large scale civilian epidemic. Although this article produced a prompt and vehement denial from German quarters, it is believed possible that the Stead documents were genuine.

These rather plainly authenticated instances have been backed by a large amount of hear-say material tending to show that in the years between the two wars, the German, Japanese and Italian staffs, as well as scientists of those countries, were experimenting and were seriously concerned with the strategic potentialities of biological warfare. And these rumors are further confirmed by the large amount of published scientific discussion emanating from these countries.

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[ff. 12-13]

These facts, taken together, had sufficient weight to cause the responsible authorities in the United States to consider very seriously the dangers and possibilities of germ warfare, particularly in the months immediately preceding our entrance into World War II.' (ff. 12-13)

 

'Early Steps Taken by the U.S. Government in Relation to B.W.

Before there was any unification of activity in b.w. several United States Government groups considered this subject independently and their efforts form the logical beginning of any narrative.

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Independent of this early activity of the United States Public Health Service, the Office of the Surgeon General, USA, was also concerned with the possibility of b.w. particularly with reference to the protection of United States troops. G-2 had also been exploring the subject and at the same time, the Chemical Warfare Service had entered the field and had directed a small group of officers to study the possibilities of b.w. (See Section II, pp. 3-4.)' (f. 13)