Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
into the offensive use of BW both in order to ensure that defensive mea-
sures are properly developed, and to be aware of any break-through in-
creasing its potential effectiveness.
110
Because of the nation's vulnerability, the planning staff also noted that
the DRPC had recommended that “as a matter of the highest priority” the
UK should carry out a military and scientific assessment of the threat to
the UK.
111
This was to include “large scale BW dissemination trials.” Ad-
ditionally, a five-year increase in the MRE budget was requested to de-
velop early warning systems and immunization techniques.
The case for renewed political and military interest in biological war-
fare continued to mount, with pressures coming from both East and
West. In 1962 NATO's SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Eu-
rope) had requested that “all nations in Allied Command Europe should
equip their shield forces defensively and with a chemical and biological
retaliatory capability.”
112
The British authorities, in the light of this re-
quest, had no wish to reveal that they had neither a retaliatory capability
nor up-to-date defensive equipment. Looking east, a lengthy Joint Intel-
ligence Committee report provided a less-than-certain but nonetheless
worrying appraisal of Soviet biological warfare capabilities:
We must assume Soviet parity with the West in basic knowledge and
technical know-how. Soviet familiarity with the broad lines of current
Western outlook on biological warfare as revealed in publications is
clearly established. With wide powers of direction at all levels, with tight
security, and with vast remote areas in which field trials could be carried
out, the Soviet authorities are in a favourable position to conduct bio-
logical warfare research and development unknown to the rest of the
world. Some areas are strongly suspected of being concerned with bio-
logical warfare trials, but details of the nature of any such trials are
lacking.
113
As a result of these deliberations and various reports on CBW the
Chiefs of Staff recommended to Minister of Defence Peter Thorneycroft
renewed efforts to “increase somewhat the level of our activity in this
area” if politically and financially acceptable. This increased activity was
to amount to about £1.294 million additional expenditure over five
years. In addition a political decision was called for on the proposal to
Search WWH ::
Custom Search