Accusations of Biological Warfare by the US in Korea In the 1950s, allegations surfaced that the United States had experimented with biological weapons in remote areas of Northern Korea. “The US government denied the charges of biological weapons use, and this denial was generally supported in the West by eminent scientists who challenged the Needham report. The allegations are still a matter for study.” (Guillemain, 2005, p. 100) The scope of this paper is to neither attempt to solidify the convictions of the accusers, nor is it to vindicate the American government of the time. This paper will outline the purported evidence and accusations against the Americans for their use of biological weapons in Korea. After World War II ended, the United States was developing its chemical and biological weapons program to try and catch up with those the Germans had already displayed having greater knowledge of. Different branches of the government hired many scientists from both Germany and Japan. Some of the German scientists had worked in the concentration camps on things such as mind altering drugs, chemical and biological experiments. Some of the Japanese scientists that were hired came from units responsible for weaponizing biological agents and developing adequate delivery systems. The International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) was asked to go to Korea in early 1952 to investigate suspected war crimes committed by the Americans. Among the tasks in their charter was the investigation of the use of biological weapons. While over 169 areas were suspected to have been contaminated with different biological weapon dispersions, the IADL gave brief descriptions of 15 ‘typical’ sites, while going into great detail abo... ... middle of paper ... ...onsored Programs to Contemporary Bioterrorism. Columbia University Press. Needham, J. (1952-1989). NCUACS 95.10.5. Retrieved from The National Archives: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=062-ncuacs95105&cid=0#0 Pohlmann, D. (Director). (2010). Doctors of Death - Full Documentary [Motion Picture]. Ryall, J. (2010, June 10). Did the US wage germ warfare in Korea? Retrieved 05 21, 2014, from The Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/7811949/Did-the-US-wage-germ-warfare-in-Korea.html Schwalbe, F. H. (1953). Of Bugs and Bombs. Retrieved 05 21, 2014, from University of Missouri, St Louis: http://www.umsl.edu/~thomaskp/schwab.htm Weathersby, K. (2004). New Evidence on the Korean War. Retrieved from COLD WAR INTERNATIONAL HISTORY PROJECT BULLETIN 14/15: http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/Bulletin_11_Korea.pdf
Guillemin, J. (2005). Biological weapons: From the invention of state-sponsored programs to contemporary bioterrorism Columbia University Press.
Pearson, Lester B. "Documents on the Korean Crisis." University of Manitoba. January 24, 1951. http://www.umanitoba.ca/libraries/units/archives/canada_war/tribune/website/clippings/korea/Documents_on_the_Korean_Crisis1.shtml (accessed December 18, 2011).
Futrel Frank Robert. The United States Air Force in Korea. Washington: N.p, 1983. Air Force Historical Studies Office. Web. 15 Apr. 2014
LeCain, Timothy J. "Lecture 4: Cold War Through Korea", Montana State University, Bozeman, 19 and 21 September 2006.
Climate, conflict, isolation, and corruption culminated in millions of lives lost, surely with no small amount of pain and suffering endured. Though international intervention can only help to the degree that authorities in North Korea will allow it, we are not left entirely without recourse. It is too late now to undo the damage of the North Korean famine, and although power has since changed hands, the country remains famously isolated. If, however, we tell the story as best we can, and deny ourselves the comfort of closing our eyes when faced with such a colossal tragedy, then perhaps in the future we find a solution. Silent are the Koreans who perished, and silent still are the authorities that chose seclusion over security. If we wish to prevent this from happening again, we must not let their silence be our silence as well.
方玥雯[Fang Yue Wen] (2009). 北韓核武研發與東北亞安全：2002-2007. [The North Korea’s Nuclear Weapons and the Security in Northeast Asia: 2002-2007] in台灣[Taiwan]: 國立政治大學[National Cheungchi University] Retrieved 18 July, 2013 from http://nccuir.lib.nccu.edu.tw/handle/140.119/37029
Schneider, Barry R. "Biological Weapon." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 04 May 2014.
The Korean War was a turning point in history. Sandwiched between the global scale of World War 2 and the nightmare of Vietnam, Korea is sometimes referred to as the “Forgotten War”. Korea might not be in the forefront of the public’s psyche, but it set in motion events that changed the world. Without Korea, history would have been very different. Korea forced the United States to develop coherent policy to deal with the perceived communist threat. The new policy established shaped the course of the Cold War, international politics, and the world today.
Heller, Francis. “The Korean War A 25-Year Perspective”. Kansas: The Regents Press of Kansas, 1977. Print
Since the end of the Korean War, the United States has enacted policies to isolate and undermine the Kim Dynasty in North Korea. A key development took place in the past several decades where North Korea broke away from the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to develop their own nuclear weapons and while lacking launch capabilities, they have been successful in their development. During this process, the United States took active policies to deter the North Koreans in pursuit of their goals. It is easy to assume that the United States took this stance in order to maintain a military edge in the region. But under closer examination, this neo-realist perspective does not explain why the United States pursued this policy.
At a time in history when such unique situations are effecting our government, our nation, our foreign policy, and our world, it is important that we, as a nation do all that we can to aide in the dramatic diplomatic decisions that pertain to the welfare of this great nation. Throughout history, America has prevailed in numerous battles, hardships, depressions, and complicated policies that have in all conclusions made her powerful, yet vulnerable at the same time. With the growing effect that the potentiality of war on one or even two fronts has on the citizens of our country, it is detrimental that we continue to keep everyone involved in this shaping situation. One increasingly terrifying mechanism that terrorist cells, among others, have access to use against a state like us is biological warfare. The continuous education, preparation, and prevention of biological weapons are a key factor in defending The United States of America, and the world from the devastation that these weapons of mass destruction may cause.
According to Charles J. Hanley, the Seoul government managed to investigate the dark history of mass political executions that were conducted in South Korea and they found evidence that proved that the Seoul government killed thousands of people, including dozens of children, sometime in the beginning of the Korean War .... ... middle of paper ... ... Defense Technological Information Center, 17 Mar. 2004.
The Korean War was seen to be a turning point for the cold war but the world is still left in confusion and the tension is still strong between North and South Korea present to this day. On June 25th of 1950 the Cold War had turned hot and the involvement of the two major superpowers the US and the USSR contributed to an increase in tension. The Korean War was the one of first big steps America took in enforcing the new policies of Containment. The Korean War was thought of as the ‘forgotten war’; though it had been thought of forgotten it had a large influence on the cold war world wide, communist growth and modern Korea.
Since its origin in 1948, North Korea has been isolated and heavily armed, with hostile relations with South Korea and Western countries. It has developed a capability to produce short- and medium-range missiles, chemical weapons, and possibly biological and nuclear weapons. In December 2002, Pyongyang lifted the freeze on its plutonium-based nuclear weapons program and expelled IAEA inspectors who had been monitoring the freeze under the Agreed Framework of October 1994. As the Bush administration was arguing its case at the United Nations for disarming Iraq, the world has been hit with alarming news of a more menacing threat: North Korea has an advanced nuclear weapons program that, U.S. officials believe, has already produced one or two nuclear bombs. As the most recent standoff with North Korea over nuclear missile-testing approaches the decompression point, the United States needs to own up to a central truth: The region of Northeast Asia will never be fully secure until the communist dictatorship of North Korea passes from the scene. After threatening to test a new, long-range missile, Pyongyang says it is willing to negotiate with "the hostile nations" opposing it. But whether the North will actually forgo its test launch is anyone's guess. North Korea first became embroiled with nuclear politics during the Korean War. Although nuclear weapons were never used in Korea, American political leaders and military commanders threatened to use nuclear weapons to end the Korean War on terms favorable to the United States. In 1958, the United States deployed nuclear weapons to South Korea for the first time, and the weapons remained there until President George Bush ordered their withdrawal in 1991. North Korean government stateme...
...cy on biological warfare. During his visit to Fort Detrick, he announced that the United States would terminate all research on biological weapons. By the year 1972 the United States had completely destroyed all biological weapon stockpile. In return of this act the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention was held, As a result of 118 countries signed a agreeing not to develop, produce, or stockpile any form of biological weapon(Mayer p4). Unfortunately despite many laws passed over time, few countries have abided by them. Evidence of this came in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s there were reports that the Soviet Union was using biological weapons in Laos, Kampuchea, and Afghanistan (Mayer p 4).