Germs: Biological Weapons and America's Secret War
Encyclopedia
Germs: Biological Weapons and America's Secret War is a #1 New York Times Nonfiction Best Seller
. It was written by The New York Times
journalists Judith Miller
, Stephen Engelberg, and William Broad
. Published in 2001 by Simon & Schuster
, the book describes biological weapons
, how humanity
has dealt with them, and our present capabilities of handling bioterrorism
.
using biography and historical narratives to present issues. The three authors' research is extensive, relying upon hundreds of interviews with scientists and senior U.S. officials, reviews of recently declassified
documents, and reports from the former Soviet Union
's bioweapons laboratories.
poisoning in The Dalles, Oregon
, caused by the followers of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh
spraying salmonella onto salad bars. There are several revelations, including how Moscow
's scientists created an untraceable germ that could instruct the body to self destroy, and U.S. military plans of germ weaponry attacking Cuba
in the 1960s. There are descriptions of three classified U.S. biodefence projects: Project Bacchus
, Project Clear Vision
, and Project Jefferson
. Germs ends with a review of the United States's ability to deter future bio-attack.
the weeks of October 28 and November 4.
was favorable, though it criticized the book's tone as "somewhat alarmist
". BusinessWeek's
review also generally favorable, though it mentioned some conflicted views on bioterrorism. In The Guardian
s book review
by British
psychiatrist
Simon Wessely
, he cautioned against panic
, stating that biological weapons can produce destruction through fear, giving the biodefense industry "the equivalent of a blank cheque".
2. Warrior
3. Revelations
4. Saddam
5. Secrets and Lies
6. The Cult
7. Evil Empire
8. Break Through
9. Taking Charge
10. The President
11. Defenders
12. The Future
aired an episode entitled Bioterror. Two years in the making, it chronicled Miller, Engelberg, and Broad's research and investigation into biological weapons.
New York Times Best Seller list
The New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. It is published weekly in The New York Times Book Review magazine, which is published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times and as a stand-alone publication...
. It was written by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
journalists Judith Miller
Judith Miller (journalist)
Judith Miller is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist, formerly of the New York Times Washington bureau. Her coverage of Iraq's alleged Weapons of Mass Destruction program both before and after the 2003 invasion generated much controversy...
, Stephen Engelberg, and William Broad
William Broad
William J. Broad is an author and a Senior Writer at The New York Times.-Awards:Broad has won two Pulitzer Prizes with Times colleagues, as well as an Emmy and a DuPont. He won the Pulitzers for coverage of the space shuttle Challenger disaster and the feasibility of antimissile arms...
. Published in 2001 by Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster, Inc., a division of CBS Corporation, is a publisher founded in New York City in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. It is one of the four largest English-language publishers, alongside Random House, Penguin and HarperCollins...
, the book describes biological weapons
Biological warfare
Biological warfare is the use of biological toxins or infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi with intent to kill or incapacitate humans, animals or plants as an act of war...
, how humanity
World population
The world population is the total number of living humans on the planet Earth. As of today, it is estimated to be billion by the United States Census Bureau...
has dealt with them, and our present capabilities of handling bioterrorism
Bioterrorism
Bioterrorism is terrorism involving the intentional release or dissemination of biological agents. These agents are bacteria, viruses, or toxins, and may be in a naturally occurring or a human-modified form. For the use of this method in warfare, see biological warfare.-Definition:According to the...
.
Overview
The nonfiction book, Germs, is a work of investigative journalismInvestigative journalism
Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report. Investigative journalism...
using biography and historical narratives to present issues. The three authors' research is extensive, relying upon hundreds of interviews with scientists and senior U.S. officials, reviews of recently declassified
Declassified
Declassified is an American television series produced by Ten Worlds Productions on The History Channel that originally aired on November 9, 2004. The series takes viewers inside vaults and archives around the world to reveal the untold stories of modern history...
documents, and reports from the former Soviet Union
Post-Soviet states
The post-Soviet states, also commonly known as the Former Soviet Union or former Soviet republics, are the 15 independent states that split off from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in its dissolution in December 1991...
's bioweapons laboratories.
Summary
The book begins by recounting the 1984 salmonellaSalmonella
Salmonella is a genus of rod-shaped, Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, predominantly motile enterobacteria with diameters around 0.7 to 1.5 µm, lengths from 2 to 5 µm, and flagella which grade in all directions . They are chemoorganotrophs, obtaining their energy from oxidation and reduction...
poisoning in The Dalles, Oregon
The Dalles, Oregon
The Dalles is the largest city and county seat of Wasco County, Oregon, United States. The name of the city comes from the French word dalle The Dalles is the largest city and county seat of Wasco County, Oregon, United States. The name of the city comes from the French word dalle The Dalles is...
, caused by the followers of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh
Osho (Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh)
Osho , born Chandra Mohan Jain , and also known as Acharya Rajneesh from the 1960s onwards, as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh during the 1970s and 1980s and as Osho from 1989, was an Indian mystic, guru, and spiritual teacher who garnered an international following.A professor of philosophy, he travelled...
spraying salmonella onto salad bars. There are several revelations, including how Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
's scientists created an untraceable germ that could instruct the body to self destroy, and U.S. military plans of germ weaponry attacking Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
in the 1960s. There are descriptions of three classified U.S. biodefence projects: Project Bacchus
Project Bacchus
Project Bacchus was a covert investigation by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency US Defense Department to determine whether it is possible to construct a bioweapons production facility with off-the-shelf equipment.-Revelation to the public:...
, Project Clear Vision
Project Clear Vision
Project Clear Vision was a covert investigation of Soviet-built biological bomblets conducted by the Battelle Memorial Institute under contract with the CIA. The legality of this project under the Biological Weapons Convention is highly disputed....
, and Project Jefferson
Project Jefferson
Project Jefferson was a covert U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency program designed to determine if the current anthrax vaccine was effective against genetically-modified bacteria...
. Germs ends with a review of the United States's ability to deter future bio-attack.
Awards
Germs was the 2001 New York Times #1 Non-Fiction BestsellerNew York Times Non-Fiction Bestsellers of 2001
This is a list of adult non-fiction books that topped The New York Times Non-Fiction Best Seller list in 2001....
the weeks of October 28 and November 4.
Reviews
The New York Times Book ReviewThe New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to The New York Times in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely read book review publications in the industry. The offices are located near Times Square in New York...
was favorable, though it criticized the book's tone as "somewhat alarmist
Alarmism
Alarmism is excessive or exaggerated alarm about a real or imagined threat e.g. the increases in deaths from infectious disease.-See also:* 2009 flu pandemic* European sovereign debt crisis* 2012 phenomenon* Climate change alarmism...
". BusinessWeek's
BusinessWeek
Bloomberg Businessweek, commonly and formerly known as BusinessWeek, is a weekly business magazine published by Bloomberg L.P. It is currently headquartered in New York City.- History :...
review also generally favorable, though it mentioned some conflicted views on bioterrorism. In The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
s book review
Book review
A book review is a form of literary criticism in which a book is analyzed based on content, style, and merit. A book review could be a primary source opinion piece, summary review or scholarly review. It is often carried out in periodicals, as school work, or on the internet. Reviews are also often...
by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
Simon Wessely
Simon Wessely
Simon Wessely is a British psychiatrist. He is professor of epidemiological and liaison psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London and Head of its department of psychological medicine, Vice Dean for Academic Psychiatry, Teaching and Training at the Institute of Psychiatry, as...
, he cautioned against panic
Panic
Panic is a sudden sensation of fear which is so strong as to dominate or prevent reason and logical thinking, replacing it with overwhelming feelings of anxiety and frantic agitation consistent with an animalistic fight-or-flight reaction...
, stating that biological weapons can produce destruction through fear, giving the biodefense industry "the equivalent of a blank cheque".
Contents
1. The Attack2. Warrior
3. Revelations
4. Saddam
5. Secrets and Lies
6. The Cult
7. Evil Empire
8. Break Through
9. Taking Charge
10. The President
11. Defenders
12. The Future
Adaptations
On November 13, 2001, the science TV series NovaNOVA (TV series)
Nova is a popular science television series from the U.S. produced by WGBH Boston. It can be seen on the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States, and in more than 100 other countries...
aired an episode entitled Bioterror. Two years in the making, it chronicled Miller, Engelberg, and Broad's research and investigation into biological weapons.