United states and weapons of mass destruction wikipedia. United states biological weapons program wikipedia. Handbook on biological warfare preparedness sciencedirect. Animesh roul opinion threats emanating from weapons of mass destruction dr. A weapon of mass destruction is a nuclear, radiological, chemical, biological, or other device that is intended to harm a large number of people. A weapon of mass destruction wmd is something capable of inflicting mass casualties and or destroying or rendering highvalue assets as useless. An annotated bibliography, world markets for chemical and biological warfare agent detection, and chemical and biological warfare. Weapon of mass destruction an overview sciencedirect. Chemical and biological weapons alone rarely have decisive effects on the battlefield. Weapons of mass destruction book by robert hutchinson. Croddy specializes in weapons of mass destruction with a focus on chemical and biological warfare. The 1943 battle of changde saw japanese use of both bioweapons and chemical weapons, and the japanese conducted a serious, though futile, nuclear weapon program since world war ii, the united states military based nuclear and chemical weapons and field tested biological anticrop. The handbook of european defence policies and armed forces, publisher.
The nononsense guide to nuclear, chemical and biological weapons today kindle edition by hutchinson, robert. Crucial information on nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons from the diseased animal carcass hurled over the wall of a besieged castle to the nuclear suitcase bomb carried by a clandestine operative, the threat of unconventional weapons has always been a feature of warfare. Only one chapter each is devoted to chemical and biological weapons, respectively. Although chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological weapons often serve as examples of wmd, many things can be used as a wmd. The book is not a reference guide, but a truly intriguing look at mans inherent insecurity and his irresistible attraction to harness the destructive forces of the universe. An encyclopedia of worldwide policy, technology, and history, 2 volumes by jeff larsen, james wirtz, eric croddy abcclio 1851094954 online e book, see publisher the first accessible reference to cover the history, context, current issues, and key concepts surrounding biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons. Weapons of mass destruction an overview sciencedirect topics. Roert hutchinson cuts through the technical jargon to explain why these weapons, be they nuclear, biological or chemical, pose such a deadly threat to us all today more than ever. Rhodesia and chemical biological warfare 19751980, prism, volume 7 no 3. The subtitle, the nononsense guide to nuclear, chemical and biological weapons today, is a bit of a misnomer. The book mostly covers the development of nuclear bombswarheads and their delivery systems. Weapons of mass destruction wmd is a term commonly used to refer to nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, but the precise meaning of the term is unclear. The united states biological weapons program began in 1943 and was discontinued in 1969 the program officially began in spring 1943 on orders from u.
Freeing the world of nuclear, biological and chemical arms 2006, by weapons of mass destruction commission, contrib. Aug 14, 2018 the united states faces a rising danger from terrorists and rogue states seeking to use weapons of mass destruction. The establishment of a middle east zone free of nuclear weapons, a concept more recently broadened to cover all weapons of mass destruction wmd, has been before the international community for decades. Chemical weapons did not become true weapons of mass destruction wmd until they were introduced in their modern form in world war i 191418.
Chemical and biological weapons in a post911 world the. Seth carus is emeritus distinguished professor of national security policy at the center for the study of weapons of mass destruction at the national defense university. Military use of chemical and biological warfare agents in time of war demonstrated their level of toxic effect on living beings, i. A timely and shocking book that retraces the grim history of weapons of mass destruction. Chemical weapons are considered weapons of mass destruction and their use in armed conflict is a violation of international law. False alarms and misinformation about these weapons have abounded in the jittery post911 atmosphere. All may be used in warfare and are known by the military acronym nbc for nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare. The program officially began in spring 1943 on orders from u.
Biological, chemical and nuclear absence of mycoplasma contamination in the anthrax vaccine. Dec 26, 2016 biological weapons of mass destruction with the ability to spread deadly diseases like ebola and zika could wipe out up to a fifth of the worlds population, it has been claimed. Since the demise of the former soviet uniononce referred to as. Nuclear weapons volume 2 of weapons of mass destruction. The virology bookshop biological weapons and warfare books. This encyclopedia is the only comprehensive reference dedicated to the three types of weapons of mass destruction.
The top secret history of americas nuclear, chemical and biological warfare programs and their deployment. Like nuclear and biological weapons, chemical weapons are often classified as weapons of mass destruction. Weapon of mass destruction an overview sciencedirect topics. Weapons of mass destruction, as classified by the fbi, are any destructive devices, chemical or biological agents used with the intention of causing death or injury on a large scale. Chemical and biological uses of weapons of mass destruction.
Chemical weapon chemical weapon weapons of mass destruction. Some people think that this range should be expanded to include electromagnetic pulse weapons emp, radioactive dirty bombs or recent developments like cyberwarfare, or sophisticated information operations. If north korea credibly commits to abandoning its nuclear. In this book, two experts from the region explore why the matter remains unresolved, and outline.
The term weapons of mass destruction wmd was first expressly defined by the united nations in 1948 as atomic explosive weapons, radioactive material weapons, lethal chemical and biological weapons, and any weapons developed in the future which have characteristics comparable in destructive effect to those of the atomic bomb or other weapons mentioned above defining. Much of it is technically focused on describing the dangerous nature of chemical and biological warfare agents or the historical use of said. Like nuclear and biological weapons, chemical weapons are. Chemical and biological weapons in a post911 world the library of weapons of mass destruction. Since the end of world war ii there has been a number of treaties dealing with the limitations, reductions, and elimination of socalled weapons of mass destruction and or their transport systems generally called delivery systems. In different sources the phrase may be seen as nbc nuclear, biological and chemical weapons or cbr.
Weapons of mass destruction an overview sciencedirect. Over the course of its 27year history, the program weaponized and stockpiled the following. Isis chemical weapons expert speaks in exclusive interview. There is no treaty or customary international law that contains an authoritative definition. An encyclopedia of worldwide policy, technology, and history, james j. The german army initiated modern chemical warfare by launching a chlorine attack at ypres, belgium, on april 22, 1915, killing 5,000 french and algerian troops and momentarily. Introduction to chemical and biological weapons carnegie. They can be nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.
Nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, or weapons of mass destruction. Jul 29, 2019 when looking for books on the general category of weapons of mass destruction, theres not a lot of original, insightful literature. Beginning in the mid1930s, japan conducted numerous attempts to acquire and develop weapons of mass destruction. Cirincione talked about weapons proliferation, inspections of chemical and biological weapons programs, and the use of weapons of mass destruction. Chemical weapon, any of several chemical compounds, usually toxic agents, that are intended to kill, injure, or incapacitate.
Chemical and biological weapons in a post911 world the library of weapons of mass destruction broyles, janell on. A great deal of literature exists on international regimes and their attempts to curb the proliferation of. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading weapons of mass destruction. Weapons of mass destruction international relations. Chemical and biological weapons nonproliferation program. Iraq actively researched and later employed weapons of mass destruction wmd from 1962 to 1991, when it destroyed its chemical weapons stockpile and halted its biological and nuclear weapon programs as required by the united nations security council. Much of it is technically focused on describing the dangerous nature of chemical and biological warfare agents or the historical use of said weapons in the past. Nov 22, 2001 the term weapons of mass destruction wmd, used to encompass nuclear nw, biological bw, and chemical weapons cw, is misleading, politically dangerous, and cannot be justified on grounds of military efficiency. Chemical weapon weapons of mass destruction britannica.
Research continued following world war ii as the u. The nononsense guide to nuclear, chemical and biological weapons today. Freeing the world of nuclear, biological and chemical arms hans blix, weapons of mass destruction commission wmdc this digital document is an article from ploughshares monitor, published by thomson gale on december 22, 2006. Weapons of mass destruction meet your next favorite book. List of books and articles about weapons of mass destruction. Weapons of mass destruction and risk galore 1175 words 5 pages. Alternative technologies for the destruction of chemical agents and munitions. The united states biological weapons program began in 1943 and was discontinued in 1969. This pertinent and topical volume takes a hardheaded look at the threat that india could face from these weapons. With over 500 entries arranged alphabetically, volume one covers biological and chemical weapons, while volume two focuses on nuclear weapons. In modern warfare, chemical weapons were first used in world war i 191418. Biological warfare is distinct from nuclear warfare, chemical warfare and radiological warfare, which together with biological warfare make up cbrn, the military initialism for nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare using weapons of mass destruction wmds.
Weapons of mass destruction weapons of mass destruction wmd have three major types. The department of homeland security works every day to prevent terrorists and other threat actors from using these weapons to harm. The united states is known to have possessed three types of weapons of mass destruction. Weapons of mass destruction use and proliferation challenges 7 i. Books specifically discussing nuclear weapons or the. He was on ndus faculty from 1997 through 2017, serving from 2003 to 20 as the centers deputy director. A chemical weapon is any toxic chemical that can cause death, injury, incapacitation, and sensory irritation, deployed via a delivery system, such as an artillery shell, rocket, or ballistic missile. Cbw magazine journal on chemical and biological weapons volume 3 number 2 januarymarch 2010 issn. Spierss book traces the origins of chemical and biological warfare from their ancient. Seth carus center for the study of weapons of mass.
Chemical weapons are classified as weapons of mass destruction wmds, though they are distinct from nuclear weapons, biological weapons, and radiological weapons. Purpura, in security and loss prevention fifth edition, 2008. This is a wikipedia book, a collection of wikipedia articles that can be easily. North koreas chemical and biological weapons programs. He is the coauthor of the future of weapons of mass destruction. This had been pointed out previously by the author 1 and discussed in considerable detail in ref. The nononsense guide to nuclear, chemical and biological weapons today by robert hutchinson 2003, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. The chemical weapons convention of 1993 and the biological weapons convention of 1972 banned the use of these types of wmds worldwide. Nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons are weapons of mass destruction because they can kill many people. Todays danger comes mainly from the potential use of nuclear, biological, and chemical nbc weapons of mass destruction wmd by international terrorists or rogue states. This book is groundbreaking in that it concentrates more on the protection of. Roland e langford crucial information on nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons from the diseased animal carcass hurled over the wall of a besieged castle to the nuclear suitcase bomb carried by a clandestine. Until 2017 he was a missile analyst with the defense intelligence agency. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
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