Revisiting Biological Warfare and Bioweapons: Historical Narratives and Future Realities

Abstract

From the antique to the contemporary era, humans have often used high-risk pathogens to gain leverage in warfare. In ancient and medieval times, people crudely contaminated arrows or poisoned wells. During World War II, the Japanese precisely deployed anthrax and plague. Humankind has suffered catastrophic consequences from bioweapons. This review explores the historical use of bioweapons to highlight the future realities of biological warfare. We used secondary sources from common databases. Our findings reveal that smallpox was the most lethal bioweapon in history. Advances in microbiology, especially the Germ theory, have changed biological warfare. It has evolved from rudimentary contaminations to advanced deployment. Today, it is difficult to distinguish between accidental and intentional deployment of microorganisms and natural epidemics. In the future, epidemics and pandemics may become a new form of biological warfare. International prohibitions make future bioweapons use more likely to be small in scale. However, such incidents could have a sensational impact in the information age. Therefore, the United Nations should ensure member nations comply with the Bioweapons Conventions Treaty. It should also help prevent rogue elements and terrorists from accessing bioweapons technologies.