Elijah Braly

Shannon Freestone
English 11
4/20/14

Research paper on NBC warfare
I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be
fought with sticks and stones.
-Einstein
The worl has !een face with the aweso"e# yet terrifying# power of weapons capa!le
of estroying h$ge a"o$nts of people %$ic&ly# which are calle 'eapons of (ass
)estr$ction* The three types of '()s are !iological# n$clear# an che"ical warfares#
also calle NBC warfare* The olest of s$ch is !iological# as h$"ans ha+e !een $sing
iseases an infections to &ill of their ene"ies for cent$ries* Che"ical warfare ha a h$ge
show of force in ''1# with che"icals s$ch as "$star gas# ner+e gas# an water
poisoning agents !eing $se to !lee o$t the ene"ies# tr$e to the war of attrition* The last
to !e f$lly e+elope was n$clear# which has only !een $se in war twice# !oth ti"es !y
the ,S-# an has !een the pri"ary worry a"ong the three warfares* Since ''1 an
''2# !oth che"ical an n$clear warfares ha+e ha h$ge restriction p$t in place to
ens$re that "ass estr$ction is not achie+e# an !iological is still an e+ol+ing fiel $e
to new agents !eing isco+ere all the ti"e* .n respect to the %$estion a!o+e# the logical
answer is that it epens on the weapon* .n the case of !iological# there is the arg$"ent
that as soon as an agent is sprea# it is i"possi!le to control an co$l potentially en
h$"anity# an e/a"ple !eing s"all po/* For n$clear# if "issiles are la$nche at another
co$ntry# the efening co$ntry will la$nch theirs !ac& at the attac&er# res$lting in (-)
0"$t$ally ass$re estr$ction1* This also co$l potentially en h$"anity# an co$ntries
ha+e co"e close to (-) +ia n$clear !efore* 'ith che"ical# it2s all a!o$t a+oiing
attrition tactics* (any soliers ie gr$eso"e eaths $e to che"ical warfare# as water
syste"s !eca"e poll$te# trenches s"o&e o$t# an gas clo$s in+ae ene"y positions*
These tactics can also !e $se against entire cities# estroying so$rces of water# s"o&ing
o$t the city# an eli+ering oses high eno$gh to &ill large gro$ps of people in "in$tes*
Braly 1
We have also arranged things so that almost no one understands science and technology.
This is a prescription for disaster. We might get away with it for a while, but sooner or
later this combustible mixture of ignorance and power is going to blow up in our faces.
3Carl Sagan
The greatest for" of h$"an capacity for estr$ction has !een the ato"ic !o"!# a
e+ice capa!le of &illing "illions in one !ig e/plosion* 4n -$g$st 5
th
of 1647# the first
ato"ic !o"! to !e $se in war was roppe on 8iroshi"a# &illing ap/* 47#000 people on
ay one# tho$sans "ore "onths later# an tho$sans "ore o+er the co$rse of years $e
to cancers ca$se !y the raiation* 9apan ref$se to s$rrener after this show of force# an
wee&s later# a secon !o"! was roppe on Nagasa&i# &illing 47#0003:7#000 people !y
the en of ;47* The circ$"stances that le to this attac& were as follows< =er"an
scientists were s$pposely trying to !$il a n$&e# an once that fear was confir"e# the
,S- so$ght to !$il their own* Before the ,S- co"plete constr$ction of a wor&ing
!o"!# =er"any s$rrenere# an the ,S- t$rne to the last re"aining ene"y of the war#
9apan* The allie forces iss$e the >otsa" eceleration# saying that 9apan "$st
s$rrener or face co"plete estr$ction* .nstea of facing a costly lan in+asion# the ,S-
eterre to $sing the !o"!# an contin$e to $ntil s$rrener was achie+e* -s few
s$specte# howe+er# pro!le"s arose when the war was o+er when R$ssia#or ,SSR#
e+elope their own !o"!s* -fter +iolent e+elop"ents in eastern E$rope# the ,S- an
,SSR face off in an ar"s race# trying to o$t3!$y their opponent an force each other2s
han* 'hen the ?eney a"inistration ca"e to power# people on !oth sies were face
with the reality of a n$clear e/change# an the C$!an (issile Crisis al"ost force that
en* Both sies ha the (-) agree"ent# which "eant that if one !o"!e the other# f$ll
retaliation was to co""ence !y the efening co$ntry* This was a last resort policy that
!oth sies ha in "in# !$t $e to the lac& of act$al fighting an li"ite co""$nication#
this last resort option was always !ro$ght $p# at least on the -"erican sie* Fa"o$s
scientists s$ch as Carl Sagan trie warning people a!o$t the conse%$ences of n$clear
warfare# !$t it wasn2t $ntil later i the go+ern"ent ac&nowlege that n$&es were as
angero$s as Sagan was proposing*
Braly 2
@The unleashed power of the atom has changed everything save our modes of
thinking, and we thus drift toward unparalleled catastrophe
-Einstein

'hen a !o"!s is etonate# raiation is pro$ce# isr$pting nat$re an ca$sing
cancer in all li+ing things* B$t when "$ltiple !o"!s are etonate is one place# the
theoretical @winterA can !e ca$se# which pre+ents s$nlight fro" reaching the gro$n#
an leas to poisono$s fogs an s$ch* Bieo ga"es s$ch as Fallo$t portray n$clear
winters in areas that are s$ppose to !e fallo$t Cones* Carl Sagan fa"o$sly escri!e
n$clear winters in a !oo& he co3wrote with other scientists* The leaing conject$re was
@significant he"ispherical atten$ation of the solar raiation fl$/ an s$!freeCing lan
te"perat$res "ay !e ca$se !y fine $st raise in high3yiel n$clear s$rface !$rsts an
!y s"o&e fro" city an forest fires ignite !y air!$rsts of all yielsA 0science"ag*org#
N$clear winter1* The res$lting en+iron"ent wo$l !e haCaro$s to h$"ans an# if !ig
eno$gh# co$l wipe o$t the entire h$"an pop$lation* Toay# that2s how it2s &nown that a
n$clear e/change wo$l ha+e &ille all h$"ans on earth# regarless of where a
pop$lation li+e* - n$clear winter alone is +ery strong staning e+ience that n$&es are a
last resort option# an sho$l not !e $se for cas$al warfare* (any people feel li&e
h$"ans sho$ln2t e+en ha+e this power# an "any co$ntries are trying to re"o+e a
n$clear option fro" any war e%$ation*
Braly D

!"ioterrorism is a real threat to our country. It#s a threat to every nation that loves
freedom. Terrorist groups seek biological weapons$ we know some rogue states already
have them.... It#s important that we confront these real threats to our country and prepare
for future emergencies.
-B$sh 9r*
Thin& what yo$ want a!o$t the "an a!o+e# !$t he oes !ring $p a goo point< .t is
i"portant that we confront real threats to o$r co$ntry* B$sh has !een criticiCe for his
in+ol+e"ent in .ra%# clai"ing !oth che"ical an !iological '()s are !eing !$ilt in that
region* Biological warfare is no stranger to this worl# as it is the olest for" of '()
&nown to "an# other than "ay!e star+ing yo$r ene"y* 4ne of the olest !iological
warfare incients is the @8ittite >lag$eA 0Siro .gino Tre+isanato1# which escri!es a
plag$e $se to infect trae ro$tes an was a constant pro!le" for (eiterranean states
for cent$ries* .n the case of star+ing yo$r ene"y# !iological agents co$l also !e $se to
conta"inate reso$rces an spee $p the process* Before the 20
th
cent$ry# !iological
warfare was "ostly $se to spee $p s$rrener an a+oi costly !attles* Toay# !iological
agents are esigne specifically for &illing as "any people as possi!le or j$st a hanf$l
of people* -ssassinations $sing !iological agents ha+e happene !efore# an are li&ely to
happen again* 8ighly e+elope co$ntries no longer $ses !iological agents for attrition
warfare# !$t instea $se the" for last resort or assassinations* Not so e+elope
co$ntries# howe+er# ha+e ini+i$als in the" who "ay feel li&e !iological agents "a&e
for goo eterrents to g$nfights* For those who wish eath to -"erica# !iological agents
represent an easy way to &ill large a"o$nts of people with little effort* -"erica is not the
only place facing !iological terroris"* Chechnyas ha+e !een a sore in R$ssia2s sie for
years# an Chechnyans $se terror tactics to fight agianst R$ssia* @'hether n$clear
weapons were in )$aye+Es control or not# the R$ssian "ilitary an political leaership
ha a reason to feel "ore than the nor"al psychological tension in+ol+e in inter+ening
in the internal affairs of its own rep$!lic* The re+enge instinct of the Chechen leaership
certainly carrie hea+y weight in this part of the worl an ae to the tension* The
Chechen leaership co$l ta&e parts of R$ssia with it to the gra+e thro$gh the $se of
s$icie $nit attac&s on n$clear or !iological facilities# or thro$gh the $se of n$clear
weaponsA 0fas*org1* ''2 was also a pop$lar ti"e to $se !iological weapons# !$t those
were orere attac&s# not terroris"* )eli+ery is &ey for !oth !io an che"ical warfares#
as where# when# an how the weapons are $tiliCe co$l "ean the ifference !etween a
co$ple h$nre people an a h$nre tho$san people* Not all !iological agents are
contagio$s# s$ch as p$l"onary anthra/# which was $se as a tool of assassination $ring
the 6/11 perio* (ost !iological weapons o$t there are $se to either scare the ene"y
into not attac&ing# to !e $se an &ill as "any as possi!le# or to &ill only certain people*

Braly 4
!The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances% if
there is any reaction, both are transformed.
3Carl 9$ng
Che"ical weapons were the preferre weapon of choice $ring the first worl war#
an ha+e earne a scary na"e for the"sel+es e+er since* The "ost pri"iti+e for" of
che"ical weaponry co"es fro" $sing non3!iological poisons an to/ins* The ancient
=ree&s were the "ost well &nown $sers of che"ical weapons# $sing poison tippe
weapons in al"ost e+ery war that has ta&en place there* 4ther references of che"ical
warfare in other parts of the worl co"e fro" te/ts an literat$re that tal& a!o$t the $se
of che"ical weapons* B$t the one che"ical that o"inate the co"petition for cent$ries
was anything that co$l create fire* =ree& fire was a h$ge eterrent to open ar"s# as any
ship who e+en trie to sail co$l !e !$rne own in secons* -ltho$gh "isfires were
co""on# fire was the $lti"ate weapon for a +ast "ajority of the "eie+al ages* @.n 5F:
the ByCantines $tterly estroye a ($sli" fleet 3 o+er D0#000 "en were lost* .n F1F3F1:
Caliph S$lei"an attac&e Constantinople 0ByCanti$"1* (ost of the ($sli" fleet was
once again estroye !y =ree& Fire# an the Caliph was force to flee* There is +irt$ally
no oc$"entation of its $sage after this ti"e !y the ByCantines an it is generally
!elie+e that it was $ring this era that the secret of creating =ree& Fire was lost*
For"$lae $se after this ate ne+er see"s to ha+e ha the sa"e e+astating effect**A
0"eie+alwarfare*info1* )$ring ''1# when "ore con+entional che"ical warfare was
create# it change the face of war fore+er* ''1 is the great war of attrition# an nothing
was "ore effecti+e than $sing che"ical s"o&es to s"o&e o$t yo$r ene"y* This is the
ti"e when "$star gas was first e"ploye on a large scale# an poisoning reso$rces was
also a co""on tactic* Che"ical warfare co"es in two parts< slow an constant# an %$ic&
an swift* Slow an constant was often $se in the case of poisoning reso$rces* Go$
wo$l want to &eep a reso$rce $n$sa!le for as long as possi!le# an co$l cripple ar"ies
into s$!"ission* H$ic& an swift was $se when yo$ wante to get ri of/&ill people who
were in yo$r way* Go$ wo$ln2t want to conta"inate the area for long perios of ti"e in
orer to a+oi the weapon fro" !ac&firing* H$ic& an swift is the "ost co""on# as slow
an constant types of che"icals ha+e !een !anne* Che"ical warfare cannot &ill the
entire pop$lation of the earth li&e n$clear an !iological can# !$t che"icals are
e+astating nonetheless*
Braly 7
&ooner or later, 'ihadist-style terror and W() are going to come together and the
conse*uences could be horrendous.
3Noa" Cho"s&y
The worl has witnesse pro!a!ly the !looiest an ealiest cent$ry of all ti"e $ring
the 20
th
cent$ry* ''1# ''2# the col war# Bietna"# the ?orean war# all of those
happene $ring the 20
th
cent$ry# an now we face terroris"* The ,S has !een panic&ing
o+er international terroris" for ecaes# an all !eca$se of '()s* B$sh has $s in+ae
.ra% !eca$se they were a '() ris&# altho$gh no weapons were fo$n* -ltho$gh B$sh
"ay ha+e "esse $p# the reason for in+aing was +ali# as the 20
th
cent$ry pro+e that
'()s are real an are a threat* 'hether it !e che"ical !o"!s or n$&es# a single weapon
can &ill a h$ge pop$lation of people in only a "atter of ays* ''1 was when we realiCe
'()s co$l !e "an$fact$re# an ''2 is what pro+e that h$"ans can estroy the
earth* E+er since then# the ,S an the ,N ha+e trie to !an any sort of '() that stans
a chance of &illing a h$ge pop$lation# 8owe+er# "any co$ntries still possess those
weapons# an are still a threat e+eryone* No "atter how har we try to fight '()s#
they2ll still pose a threat to $s* '()s are a last resort option only# especially in the case
of n$clear an !iological warfare* 'hen yo$ $se these weapons# they either estroy an
entire ecosyste" an "a&e it $nha!ita!le for years# or they &ill tho$sans/"illions in a
short a"o$nt of ti"e# or !oth* -ttrition warfare is a thing of the past# an these weapons
pose the possi!ility of !ringing attrition warfare !ac&* 'ars weren2t "eant to !lee yo$r
ene"y to eath# !$t !iological an che"ical warfares are "ae j$st for that* .n reality#
these weapons sho$ln2+e e+en !e consiere for any reason# an are really there j$st to
spite yo$r ene"y when yo$2re own* )isar"ing is the !est co$rse of protection# !$t no
"atter how har we try# there will always !e so"e who ha+e these weapons at their
isposal# an we can only hope that they ha+e the self control to t$rn away*