Germ Warfare - 1775 Style

[Bob Lamb]

Despite the humor of the Pythonesque sketches of cow flinging - one tactic of siege warfare was to literally hurl diseased animal corpses into besieged areas to spread whatever basic, bad bacterium available into an already closed, unsanitary enviorment.

 

In the midst of David McCullough's "1776" about events surrounding the Revolutionary War siege of Boston -

 

"On November 25, the British sent several boatloads of the ragged poor of Boston, some 300 men, women and children acroos the Back Bay depositing them on the shore near Cambridge for the rebels to deal with. They were a heart rendering sight. Many were sick and dying, "the whole in a most miserable and piteouis condition," wrote (George) Washington. According to one explanantion, General Howe was making room for the reinforcements expected to arrive any time. But it was also said that the numbers of the sick had been sent "with the design of spreading smallpox through this country and camp," an accusation that Washington refused to belive. But when another 150 desperate people were dispatched from Boston, as smallpox continued unabated there, Washington described the disease as a, "weapon of defense they are using against us."

 

Only the names and faces change - The victors write the history

 

WP = Greek Fire

[Ghost of BiB]

Despite the humor of the Pythonesque sketches of cow flinging - one tactic of siege warfare was to literally hurl diseased animal corpses into besieged areas to spread whatever basic, bad bacterium available into an already closed, unsanitary enviorment.

 

In the midst of David McCullough's "1776" about events surrounding the Revolutionary War siege of Boston -

 

"On November 25, the British sent several boatloads of the ragged poor of Boston, some 300 men, women and children acroos the Back Bay depositing them on the shore near Cambridge for the rebels to deal with.  They were a heart rendering sight. Many were sick and dying, "the whole in a most miserable and piteouis condition,"  wrote (George) Washington.  According to one explanantion, General Howe was making room for the reinforcements expected to arrive any time.  But it was also said that the numbers of the sick had been sent "with the design of spreading smallpox through this country and camp," an accusation that Washington refused to belive.  But when another 150 desperate people were dispatched from Boston, as smallpox continued unabated there, Washington described the disease as a, "weapon of defense they are using against us."

 

Only the names and faces change - The victors write the history

 

WP = Greek Fire

513227[/snapback]

 

Interesting post, Bob. There are a lot of examples of many things of this nature throughout history. We just tend to ignore them. Lots of confusion as to what is right or wrong anymore. Not too many people want to think about it. For many people, it's just easier to default to "We are wrong".

 

The WP thing should be viewed as another flash in the pan we are horrible human beings thing. Look up Saipan and Okinawa, pouring gasoline into the caves and setting it off. Gets the job done. Whether one agrees or disagrees with the reasons for a war, we should leave the fighting business end of it to those who have to be there.

[finknottle]

Despite the humor of the Pythonesque sketches of cow flinging - one tactic of siege warfare was to literally hurl diseased animal corpses into besieged areas to spread whatever basic, bad bacterium available into an already closed, unsanitary enviorment.

 

In the midst of David McCullough's "1776" about events surrounding the Revolutionary War siege of Boston -

 

"On November 25, the British sent several boatloads of the ragged poor of Boston, some 300 men, women and children acroos the Back Bay depositing them on the shore near Cambridge for the rebels to deal with.  They were a heart rendering sight. Many were sick and dying, "the whole in a most miserable and piteouis condition,"  wrote (George) Washington.  According to one explanantion, General Howe was making room for the reinforcements expected to arrive any time.  But it was also said that the numbers of the sick had been sent "with the design of spreading smallpox through this country and camp," an accusation that Washington refused to belive.  But when another 150 desperate people were dispatched from Boston, as smallpox continued unabated there, Washington described the disease as a, "weapon of defense they are using against us."

 

Only the names and faces change - The victors write the history

 

WP = Greek Fire

513227[/snapback]

 

You can saddle your enemies with the sick, or even the injured:

 

The Byzantine emperor Basil II engaged in war from 1002 to 1014 with Samuil of the Bulgars whose domain stretched from the Danude to Athens. The larger Byzantine armies eventually cornered the main Bulgar army while Samuil was away from the force and defeated them in battle. Rather than killing or enslaving the prisoners as was the custom, Basil is said to have released 15,000 of them to their homelands. For every 100, 99 were blinded. For the 100th, only one eye was gouged, and he was to lead the other 99 back. For this Basil became known as 'Basil the Bulgar-slayer.'

 

Caring for and supporting 15,000 blinded warriors is no small inconvenience. Samuil was enraged, and the war fought on for another four years before the Bulgars submitted and were pushed north of the Danube, settling into what is now Bulgaria.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

And let's not forget how the Black Plague started:

 

The mongols hurled plague-infested bodies over the walls of a Black Sea trading port that was popular with western traders.

 

A few months later and WHAM, Western Europe was completely decimated.

 

THAT was the ULTIMATE use of WMDs in the history of Mankind.

[stuckincincy]

And let's not forget how the Black Plague started:

 

The mongols hurled plague-infested bodies over the walls of a Black Sea trading port that was popular with western traders.

 

A few months later and WHAM, Western Europe was completely decimated.

 

THAT was the ULTIMATE use of WMDs in the history of Mankind.

514366[/snapback]

 

The so-called "mini" Ice Age starting in the 1300's had an effect. In the warm period before, humanity flourished. When the cold and the rain came, and malnutrition and starvation, the populace had lessened immunity to infections.

 

Folks also huddled indoors, what with the cold - and the rats wanted warmth, too...and their fleas.

[Ghost of BiB]

I see everyone has been watching the History Channel. Some good shows, BTW.

[Crap Throwing Monkey]

And let's not forget how the Black Plague started:

 

The mongols hurled plague-infested bodies over the walls of a Black Sea trading port that was popular with western traders.

 

A few months later and WHAM, Western Europe was completely decimated.

 

THAT was the ULTIMATE use of WMDs in the history of Mankind.

514366[/snapback]

 

The port of Kaffa, and Genoese traders.

 

And actually, it wasn't the bodies. Once the body dies, the fleas abandon the corpse, and the corpse is effectively rendered non-infective. More likely it was just black rats moving between the Mongol camps and the city during the siege, then stowing away aboard Genoese ships. If it were "use of WMDs", it was hardly intentional on the Mongols' part.

 

And even if you argue unintentional "use" is still "use"...it's still not the ultimate. The introduction of Old World diseases (mumps, measles, syphillis, smallpox) to the New World was far more devastating.