Using biological warfare

Using disease-producing agents, such as germs and viruses, on humans, animals and plants to kill or disable them. These agents depend for their effect on their ability to multiply within the organism attacked.

The use of biological agents as weapons receives more adverse criticism than even chemical warfare. So far as is known, no nation has used germs intentionally and successfully against an enemy in the 20th century.

In the 14th century the Mongols infected Genoese defenders of Caffa, in the Crimea, with the plague. The Germans infected the horses of the Romanian cavalry with glanders in 1914. The UK, the former Soviet Union and the USA used chemical-biologicalagents in Asia.

1. Biological warfare is perceived as an extremely odious and dishonourable form of weaponry. Its use in even a small way could undermine enemy resolve to a degree far beyond the loss of life involved.

1. Because very little research can be done with biological weapons outside the laboratory, their focus and control can only be guessed at. Their use is more for their value as threats than for their practical utilisation.

1. Using biological terrorism

1. War