Kategoria BISAC: History >> Military - Biological & Chemical Warfare

South Africa's Weapons of Mass Destruction offers an in-depth view of the secret development and voluntary disarmament of South Africa's nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons program, Project Coast. Helen E. Purkitt and Stephen F. Burgess explore how systems used for nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons in South Africa were acquired and established beyond the gaze of international and domestic political actors. On the basis of archival evidence from Project Coast and their own extensive interviews with military and political officials, Purkitt and Burgess consider what motivates...

The United States and Biological Warfare] is a major contribution to our understanding of the past involvement by the US and Japanese governments with BW, with important, crucial implications for the future.... Pieces of this story, including the Korean War allegations, have been told before, but never so authoritatively, and with such a convincing foundation in historical research.... This is a brave and significant scholarly contribution on a matter of great importance to the future of humanity.
--Richard Falk, Albert G. Milbank Professor of International Law and Practice, Princeton...

Policymakers, scholars, and the news media have been alarmed by the potential for chemical and biological weapons (CBW) terrorism, and the U.S. Congress has allocated billions of dollars for counterterrorism and "consequence management" programs. Driving these concerns are the global spread of scientific knowledge and technology relevant to CBW terrorism and the vulnerability of civilian populations to chemical and biological attacks.

Notably lacking from the analysis, however, has been a careful assessment of the terrorists themselves. What types of terrorist groups or individuals...

Fear and ignorance have colored the perception of chemical and biological (CB) warfare both in the public and military spheres. Media coverage following the alleged gassing of sheep at Dugway Proving Ground in 1968 has led most people to believe that CB warfare is an unstoppable doomsday weapon of mass destruction. Yet, in 1972, General Creighton Abrams, the Army Chief of Staff, attempted to disestablish the Chemical Corps because he saw no need for it. Had that decision not been reversed in 1976, there would not have been any chemical defense specialists or equipment available for...

The Gulf War has been the only conflict in the last half-century that featured the possible use of chemical-biological weapons against U.S. forces. Vulnerability to such an attack spurred the Department of Defense to action from the first hint of trouble in August 1990 through the end of hostilities in March 1991. Nearly disbanded in 1972, the U.S. Army Chemical Corps would be the prime force in ensuring that U.S. forces could both survive and sustain combat operations under chemical-biological warfare conditions. Focussing on the work of senior Army officials, this account assesses the...

The increased threat of chemical terrorism and warfare makes a quick, comprehensive guide more vital than ever. Forensic chemist Steven L. Hoenig has compiled information from diverse sources to produce this ready reference with details on various chemicals, including identification tips, symptoms and treatment procedures, protective gear necessary to counter each threat, and a step-by-step description of decontamination procedures.

A brief overview of the history of chemicals used in warfare is followed by a discussion of the different categories of chemical threats. First responders...

Anthrax is a virulent and deadly bacteria whose spores can remain in soil for as long as...

Although the Brigade itself has received little attention since its disbandment following the war, chemical warfare in World War I has been mythologized, sentimentalized, and vilified. Its image has been distorted by...

The growing threat of bioterrorism on American soil over the past year has unleashed uncertainty and anxiety from coast to coast. Since the tragic events of September 11, and increasingly with every passing day, anthrax and other biological agents have become very real threats to public safety. Yet most Americans remain ignorant of the facts on biological agents, relying primarily on the government for accurate information. The Plague Makers informs a nervous public about the realities of biological warfare. Barnaby acquaints the reader with the evolution of biological weapons in countries...