Brits in WWII Bio-Warfare shocker!

The weapon Britain hoped would defeat the Nazis...

Sewing machine needle tipped with anthrax was developed for war effort.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...s-1720008.html

Now this may well not be news for some, but I found it deeply disturbing, (don't ask me why), that this kind of tactic was contemplated by our government at the time. So glad it never saw action.

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Tipped with a sewing machine needle and finished with a tail made from a drinking straw, they looked more like a schoolboy's toy than a terrifying weapon. For Britain's wartime scientists, however, these tiny projectiles were the sharp end of a chilling project to secure victory over the Nazis by bombarding German troops with poisoned darts.

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That is distrubing to me too so you aren't alone.

As they say though, all's fair in love and war.. Just ask Japan..

I don't find it that disturbing as they were at war, and so winning by any means was part of it.

SHOCKER!!!

no, not really. they pierced some sheep and it went no further, its just like any other day in Wales

It sounds like quite a good idea, and certainly no more shocking than firing a bomb with wings into the air on the basis that it hits the ground when it runs out of fuel! Those V1's and V2's were not exactly accurate weapons! I'm glad that the needles didn't make it into service though, just think of all the bits of land over Europe that would have anthrax in them!

Horrible yes, disturbing i don't think so. Not when you consider the allies were fighting an enemy that was happy to gas/burn/bury/starve/poison millions of innocents and anyone that stood in their way.

Very inefective thou?

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Originally Posted by TheAnimus

Very inefective thou?

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apparently would work great if used an an empty space, but in battlefield conditions was a bit poo. It WAS specialised though so its always going to be a trade-off

Only in the peace that follows a victory do we have the luxury of morals and condemnation of those that were fighting to survive. Simple fact is you either follow a war to it's bitter end, or you risk defeat yourself.

[QUOTE=Lucio;1723583]Only in the peace that follows a victory do we have the luxury of morals and condemnation of those that were fighting to survive. Simple fact is you either follow a war to it's bitter end, or you risk defeat yourself.[/QUOTE/]

Sounds like a quote from the modern day adaptation of 'The art of war':mrgreen:

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Originally Posted by 0iD

The weapon Britain hoped would defeat the Nazis...

Sewing machine needle tipped with anthrax was developed for war effort.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...s-1720008.html

Now this may well not be news for some, but I found it deeply disturbing, (don't ask me why), that this kind of tactic was contemplated by our government at the time. So glad it never saw action.

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As disturbing as the annihilation of the Jews?, as disturbing as the pitiless bombing of Malta?, as disturbing as the privation of the soldiers working on the River Kwai bridge?, as disturbing as the execution of Allied prisoners after their capture by the Axis forces?.


...............or merely another "Michael Jackson day" in the true scheme of world events:shaun::juggle:



Some things are truly more important than others.....and perspective is an art we should all accrue sooner rather than later!!

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Originally Posted by 0iD

Now this may well not be news for some, but I found it deeply disturbing, (don't ask me why), that this kind of tactic was contemplated by our government at the time. So glad it never saw action.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gruinard_Island

It is disturbing, but the whole war was pretty damn disturbing. Given what both sides contemplated doing, and indeed what some sides DID do (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef_Mengele), it's not particularly surprising.

Plenty of these sorts of schemes popped up in WW2, very few were actually exacted upon the enemy. End of the day, it was a bitter war and no doubt the people "running" the theatre were thinking of anything they could to stop the opposition.

Also, remember that in WW1, chemical warfare wasn't exactly uncommon. In many ways, considering poisoning people with poison darts is childs play compared to unloading tons of chlorine into an enemy trench. The symptoms of Mustard gas, Chlorine and Phosgene are not pleasant.

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Originally Posted by BUFF

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gruinard_Island

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Absolutley fascinating, poor :shaun:

Can't say I'm particularly surprised.

When wholesale bombing of civilians was the name of the game, I don't think anything would've been considered unreasonable.

War will never be civilised.

The Bat Bombs were almost used but the Abomb got there first, both sides were dreaming up lots of bizzare was to kill the enemy, this one seems a bit less bizzare then some of the others.

I always liked the bat bombs concept!

But look at what can happen with conventional wepons, it was Dresden that was leveled by the allies wasn't it? All the people dying in their cellars from lack of oxygen.

Yes, and the only reason the Brits stopped levelling German cities was because they thought it would make Germany less of a pain to govern after they took control, not for any humanitarian reasons.

History channel - Weird weapons of WW2, usual sources eg youtube. a good watch :) thats bats are in it!

I'm not surprised. I'm an ill Gulf War veteran and they gave us injections of stuff that wasn't licensed for use and were happy to cancel animal trials because they were going to get live human data!

Now they are not supporting us.

Nice people eh?