Unit 731: Difference between revisions

From Citizendium
Jump to navigation Jump to search
imported>Howard C. Berkowitz
No edit summary
imported>Howard C. Berkowitz
No edit summary
Line 2: Line 2:
{{TOC|right}}
{{TOC|right}}
'''Unit 731''' was an [[Imperial Japanese Army]] research and development facility for [[biological weapon]]s, headquartered in Pingfan, [[Manchuria]]. It was headed by Gen. [[Shiro Ishii]], who was given [[U.S. intelligence involvement with World War II Japanese war criminals|immunity from war crimes prosecution]] in exchange for his experimental data.
'''Unit 731''' was an [[Imperial Japanese Army]] research and development facility for [[biological weapon]]s, headquartered in Pingfan, [[Manchuria]]. It was headed by Gen. [[Shiro Ishii]], who was given [[U.S. intelligence involvement with World War II Japanese war criminals|immunity from war crimes prosecution]] in exchange for his experimental data.
The program was always under the cover identity of a water purification laboratory, where Ishii had indeed done significant development. Ishii's first facility, built in 1932, was the Zhoghma Fortress, a prison on the outskirts of Harbin. After an escape in 1935, they  moved closer to Harbin at Pingfang. Unit 731 also had a number of field subunits and specialized laboratories at other locations.
Authorized by an Imperial order, it was visited by [[Prince Chichibu]].


It engaged in human experimentation and field use of weapons.
It engaged in human experimentation and field use of weapons.
==Experimentation==
==Experimentation==
Human experimentation, completely involuntary and in violation of the principles of the  [[Nuremberg Code]] and the [[Declaration of Helsinki]], was not limited to biological weapons. It also included experiments in conditions of freezing, extreme heat, and exhaustion; surgical procedures on living subjects without anesthesia; poisoning; and bullet and grenade tests. Some very similar experiments resulted in death sentences for Nazi experimenters at the [[Medical Case (NMT)|Medical Case]] at the [[Nuremberg Military Tribunals]]
Most of the victims were Chinese, dehumanized as ''maruta'' or "logs" by the staff.
==Technology==
==Technology==
In comparison with the contemporaneous U.S. and British programs, the Japanese methods for distributing infectious agents was relatively primitive.  Interestingly, however, some of the devices alleged to be U.S. biological munitions, in the Korean War, had a significant resemblance to Unit 731 devices. The Soviets did capture some Unit 731 personnel, and that information may have made its way to North Korea.  
In comparison with the contemporaneous U.S. and British programs, the Japanese methods for distributing infectious agents was relatively primitive.  Interestingly, however, some of the devices alleged to be U.S. biological munitions, in the Korean War, had a significant resemblance to Unit 731 devices. The Soviets did capture some Unit 731 personnel, and that information may have made its way to North Korea.  


When a disease was vector-borne, such as [[plague]] carried by fleas, the Japanese approach was to distribute infected arthropods, rather than the more difficult process of forming an aerosol spray. [[Anthrax]] was first delivered on bullets or bomb fragments
When a disease was vector-borne, such as [[plague]] carried by fleas, the initial Japanese approach was to distribute infected arthropods, rather than the more difficult process of forming an aerosol spray. [[Anthrax]] was first delivered on bullets or bomb fragments. Plague was also delivered by rats in porcelain containers dropped by parachute.


Diseases being studied included:
Diseases being studied included:
Line 16: Line 23:
*[[anthrax]]
*[[anthrax]]
*[[glanders]]
*[[glanders]]
*[[typhoid fever]]
*unspecified [[hemorrhagic fever]]
==Field operations==
==Field operations==
The first attack was believed to be against Soviet troops in 1939, involving [[typhoid fever]] being poured into water supplies.
Later, aerosol attacks were used, which also caused Japanese casualties.
==U.S. evaluation==
==U.S. evaluation==
U.S. intelligence first obtained fragmentary knowledge of Unit 731 in December 1944, with more details in April 1945.  After the surrender of Japan, a U.S. Army microbiologist, was sent to interrogate persons in the program and evaluate documents.<ref>{{citation
U.S. intelligence first obtained fragmentary knowledge of Unit 731 in December 1944, with more details in April 1945.  After the surrender of Japan, a U.S. Army microbiologist, was sent to interrogate persons in the program and evaluate documents.<ref>{{citation

Revision as of 00:29, 26 September 2010

This article is developing and not approved.
Main Article
Discussion
Related Articles  [?]
Bibliography  [?]
External Links  [?]
Citable Version  [?]
 
This editable Main Article is under development and subject to a disclaimer.

Unit 731 was an Imperial Japanese Army research and development facility for biological weapons, headquartered in Pingfan, Manchuria. It was headed by Gen. Shiro Ishii, who was given immunity from war crimes prosecution in exchange for his experimental data.

The program was always under the cover identity of a water purification laboratory, where Ishii had indeed done significant development. Ishii's first facility, built in 1932, was the Zhoghma Fortress, a prison on the outskirts of Harbin. After an escape in 1935, they moved closer to Harbin at Pingfang. Unit 731 also had a number of field subunits and specialized laboratories at other locations.

Authorized by an Imperial order, it was visited by Prince Chichibu.

It engaged in human experimentation and field use of weapons.

Experimentation

Human experimentation, completely involuntary and in violation of the principles of the Nuremberg Code and the Declaration of Helsinki, was not limited to biological weapons. It also included experiments in conditions of freezing, extreme heat, and exhaustion; surgical procedures on living subjects without anesthesia; poisoning; and bullet and grenade tests. Some very similar experiments resulted in death sentences for Nazi experimenters at the Medical Case at the Nuremberg Military Tribunals

Most of the victims were Chinese, dehumanized as maruta or "logs" by the staff.

Technology

In comparison with the contemporaneous U.S. and British programs, the Japanese methods for distributing infectious agents was relatively primitive. Interestingly, however, some of the devices alleged to be U.S. biological munitions, in the Korean War, had a significant resemblance to Unit 731 devices. The Soviets did capture some Unit 731 personnel, and that information may have made its way to North Korea.

When a disease was vector-borne, such as plague carried by fleas, the initial Japanese approach was to distribute infected arthropods, rather than the more difficult process of forming an aerosol spray. Anthrax was first delivered on bullets or bomb fragments. Plague was also delivered by rats in porcelain containers dropped by parachute.

Diseases being studied included:

Field operations

The first attack was believed to be against Soviet troops in 1939, involving typhoid fever being poured into water supplies.

Later, aerosol attacks were used, which also caused Japanese casualties.

U.S. evaluation

U.S. intelligence first obtained fragmentary knowledge of Unit 731 in December 1944, with more details in April 1945. After the surrender of Japan, a U.S. Army microbiologist, was sent to interrogate persons in the program and evaluate documents.[1]

Two separate organizations were involved in the intelligence interrogations and document examinations: the Chemical Warfare Service, which provided the technical expertise, and the G-2 Division of Douglas MacArthur's staff, headed by Major General Charles Willoughby.

Relatively recently declassified documents have suggested that G-2 may have exaggerated the unquestionable atrocities, possibly to obtain more funding. They also showed direct cash payments to Ishii and others, as well as immunity to war crimes prosecution.[2]

References

  1. Ed Regis (1999), The Biology of Doom: the History of America's Secret Germ Warfare Project, Henry Holt, ISBN 0805057641, pp. 85-86
  2. Tsuneishi Keiichi (18 August 2005), New Facts about US Payoff to Japan’s Biological Warfare Unit 731, Kyodo News Agency; first appeared in Kanagawa Shimbun