Biological Weapons: From the Invention of State-Sponsored Programs to Contemporary Bioterrorism

by Jeanne Guillemin

Until the events of September 11 and the anthrax attacks of 2001, biological weapons had never been a major public concern in the United States. Today, the possibility of their use by terrorists against Western states looms large as an international security concern. In Biological Weapons , Jeanne Guillemin provides a highly accessible and compelling account of the circumstances under which scientists, soldiers, and statesmen were able to mobilize resources for extensive biological weapons programs and also analyzes why such weapons, targeted against civilians, were never used in a major conflict.

This book is essential for understanding the relevance of the historical restraints placed on the use of biological weapons for today's world. It serves as an excellent introduction to the problems biological weapons pose for contemporary policymakers and public officials, particularly in the United States. How can we best deter the use of such weapons? What are the resulting policies of the Department of Homeland Security? How can we constrain proliferation? Jeanne Guillemin wisely points out that these are vitally important questions for all Americans to consider and investigate―all the more so because the development of these weapons has been carried out under a veil of secrecy, with their frightening potential open to exploitation by the media and government. Public awareness through education can help calm fears in today's tension-filled climate and promote constructive political action to reduce the risks of a biological weapons catastrophe.

Biological Weapons is required reading for every concerned citizen, government policymaker, public health official, and national security analyst who wants to understand this complex and timely issue.

Genres: Nonfiction, School, Science, History

256 pages, Paperback

First published December 7, 2004

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic (albeit terrifying) book regarding the history of biological weapons programs that was required reading for my Biodefense Strategy course. The author clearly laid out the history of the use of biological agents in warfare, from the early days of slinging infected corpses over walls to the secret biological weapons programs that were formed during World War II. In the last few chapters, the author spoke of the responsibility of the United States and the scientific community at large. How do we ensure that biological weapons do not get used? How can we protect our communities against them? If we develop programs that are on the defensive, with BSL-4 laboratories that work with select agents, are we truly protecting ourselves? Or are we increasing our risk of an event with a biological agent occurring (through an accidental lab leak, an insider threat, or through biocrimes)? The author strongly criticized the secrecy of the intelligence community and its role in perpetuating public mistrust, and declared that the "U.S. bears a special responsibility to promote comprehensive, long-term restraints against biological weapons". Would definitely recommend to anyone who wants to know more about the history of biological weapons programs and who has questions about the role that the United States has to play.
"In military history, biological weapons were a failed innovation. May they remain so."

[Jason Courtoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeanne Guillemin offers a chilling, yet surprisingly calm, account of the development and aftermath of state-sponsored biological weapons programs. The author presents the book as a short, yet concise, history of how biology became a weapon. This is no easy task, as a plethora of books exist solely on a single episode that this book outlines. Guillemin, a passionate speaker on nonproliferation in the field of bio-weapons, writes this book solely on facts.

The book details the development of the first state-sponsored programs of pre-World War I towards their ban by the Biological Weapons Convention in 1972. In detail Guillemin describes how scientists experimented with bio-agents to find their virulence, or effectiveness of contraction. This included wind tests off the coast of Los Angeles to check how anthrax spores might spread. The US, however, never truly experimented on human subjects. Most of US virulence tests came from animals, factory workers (exposed by mill and textile conditions), and Japanese tests conducted on the Chinese during World War II. The US is not the only program detailed in this book, though it is the backdrop. In fact, it primarily starts with detailing the development in Europe and Canada out of fear of Germany’s ability. The author also details the lack of will to use bio agents because of international scrutiny during the Vietnam War. However, chemical weapons, labeled as riot or nerve agents such as VX or BZ, were used and experimented with. Many of them were quickly banned because of their effects, BZ such as is a nerve agent that caused sever psychological effects.

With the signing of the BWC, most national programs ended. The Soviets, however, were just getting started at this time. Parties to the BWC, the Soviets undertook the largest secret state-sponsored bio program. One that, though not expressed in the book, is still haunting because of the lack of security on the facilities in Russia today. The collapse of the Soviet state, also saw the end of the Soviet secret program. The last few chapters are dedicated to the present issue with international terrorism. It isn’t until these last few chapters that the author begins to have a activist voice. With 9/11 and the next failure of various US government agencies (including the Postal Service) anthrax attacks, came the development of biodefense labs. The author cautions the reader to look between the lines that many of the original weaponizing programs, such as Camp Dietrick in World War II, were sold as defensive in nature. However, bio-agents, unlike nuclear weapons, can easily be transformed into a weapon by sheer contraction. Guillemin advises that the best defense against bio-terrorism is open transparency. This is a lesson that must be learned from the anthrax letters of 2001, which saw agencies lack of communication lead to avoidable deaths.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic on Biological Weapons, Dr. Guillemin presents an excellent introduction to the topic. In addition to being a fantastic primer on the history of biological weapon development, the emphasis on the American inclination towards technological solutions to national security threats touch upon bigger themes in the literature. A classic and a must read.

[Arye Lipman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exhaustive coverage of the development of biological weapons (and how they interrelated with chemical weapons) starting before WWI, through WWII, the cold war, and into the early 00's / Great War on Terror.

The writing style is stilted at times and there are clear issues with composition, but it was informationally very dense and as far I as I can tell covered all the major beats up to about 2003. Including some really interesting anecdotes about Russian, American, and Japanese involvement in biological weapons development that I haven't found anywhere else.

A worthwhile read, regardless of some lack of clarity in writing style. I only wish we had an updated version that went through SARS1 and Covid-19 !

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very informative on the history of bioweapons, and is biased towards bioweapons being a failed weapon. Guilleman’s book is very useful for a student entering the Biodefense field of study.

[Warren S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

For school

[Grant Knuckles · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/...

[Daniel Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book.

[Parker Sievert · Rating 4 out of 5]

never going to remember all the names, dates, and acronyms in this and the test is tomorrow- FML

[Terezi Pyrope · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guillemin provides a simple, barebones summary of the biological weapons programs that have been established in the past century. Although moderately difficult to read with most of the information provided as disengaging fact and statistics, the author is obviously very well educated on the subject and is able to summarize such a broad and covert subject into a small and sufficient book.