Clouds of Secrecy: The Army's Germ Warfare Tests Over Populated Areas

by Leonard A. Cole, Alan Cranston (Foreword)

In the 1970s Americans learned for the first time that they had been used for decades as unsuspecting guinea pigs in a series of astonishing experiments conducted by the US Army. Military researchers had been secretly spraying clouds of bacteria over populated areas in order to study America's vulnerability to biological weapons. Many civilians have suffered illness, even death, as a consequence.

Genres: History, Politics, Nonfiction, Science, War

200 pages, Paperback

First published June 28, 1988

Reviews

[cheer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good lord. I read Infinite Jest faster than I read this book, and this book is over 800 pages shorter.

It's just so boring and repetitive. Most of the chapters are identical; if chapter 1 was called "that time the army conducted germ warfare tests over a populated area" then chapters 2–10 could be called "another time the army conducted germ warfare tests over a different populated area."

Don't get me wrong: it is insane that the army conducted (and lied about, and still lies about, and probably still conducts in the present) germ warfare tests over populated areas, and there are some really interesting parts—the chapter on Fort Detrick and the chapters on a trial in California were especially enjoyable to me. I just wish the experience of reading about it didn't feel like homework.

You can safely judge this one by its cover.

[Mike Lisanke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very well written and well referenced book about government tests regarding bioweapon warfare. The book was mentioned by the author of a book about Chemtrails and cited as part of the basis for his theory on the origins of chemtrails which he said the government uses to test dispersal and for weather modification against US. The book explains that our federal government has been testing for methods of biological weapons application since the start of the cold war with the USSR after WWII.

I recommend this book as a good read to understand what/how/why our government has been Testing weapons against US.

[V. Subhash]

Publisher’s description: The book Clouds of Secrecy is a probing examination of the Army’s germ warfare testing program from World War II to the present (1987). Using extensive information from congressional hearings, courtroom testimony, interviews, and government documents, the author details the nature of the Army’s biological experiments, the reasoning behind the tests, and the effects on exposed human populations.

“Biological weapons … deserve a wider understanding. Dr. Cole‘s carefully researched account provides the best possible intorduction to this important subject.” – The New York Times

“… should be read by every concerned citizen. Cole has performed an invaluable service for the public and for biomedical scientists.” – Jonathan King, MIT

More information in William Blum’s Rogue State in chapters named “Chemical and Biological Weapons Abroad” and “Chemical and Biological Weapons At Home”.

[Angus McKeogh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely dry writing, pretty much like reading a textbook, or reading government and military documents, toss in some courtroom transcripts. However, very interesting material. Spooky and despicable to see what the government has done, unknowingly to citizens in the past, and even scarier to see the government’s conclusions when questioned about testing on citizens in the future. Most of this information is 40 years old, but I can’t imagine the government acting any more responsibly today.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rather horrifying look into the history of the US Army carrying out multiple tests of airborne pathogens on US cities over the course of the last 50+ years without any scientific controls for safety and without any consent.

[Seth Augenstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well done and fascinating, even by general-audience standards

[John Meagher · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick insight into just a handful of the government’s mad science experiments on the unaware general public.

[TimsGlitterBug · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative, well footnoted and disturbing.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was extremely interesting information, although I don't have any backup authority to support it all. I didn't think the book was all that wonderfully written. Somewhat pedantic in places. But I enjoyed it. Maybe 3 and a half stars.