Memorandum to the Director of the Research and Development Board Concerning Biological Warfare

Memorandum to the Director of the Research and Development Board Concerning Biological Warfare

A memo from two members of the Research and Development Board's Committee on Biological Warfare to their director urging more consideration of BW as an important area of inquiry for the US.

1947

Presents brief account of strides in technical aspects of BW that make it a plausible and useful means of warfare for the US. Argues that collaboration of government/military work with educational and industrial research laboratories is critical, as exemplified by the past advances of chemical weapons research. They believe that BW is about to undergo a similar, rapid expansion of capability and discover, and that facilitating such collaborations can ensure this. They thus recommend engagement with and funding of civilian research organizations to augment the military's activities in BW.