Department of State Disarmament Files
Memorandum by the Secretary of War (Patterson) and the Secretary of the Navy (Forrestal) to the Chairman of the Joint Research and Development Board (Bush)1
Subject: International Aspects of Bacteriological Warfare
The United Nations Atomic Energy Commission is required by a Resolution of the General Assembly of the United Nations of 24 January 1946 to make specific proposals, inter alia for “the elimination from national armaments of atomic weapons and all other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction.”
In a further Resolution of 14 December 1946 on “Principles Covering the General Regulation and Reduction of Armaments,” the General Assembly recommended “that the Security Council expedite consideration of the reports which the Atomic Energy Commission will make to the Security Council and that it facilitate the work of that Commission, and also that the Security Council expedite consideration of a draft convention or conventions for the creation of an international system of control and inspection, these conventions to include the prohibition of atomic and all other major weapons adaptable now and in the future to mass destruction and the control of atomic energy to the extent necessary to ensure its use only for peaceful purposes.” (Underlining supplied)
On 13 February 1947 the Security Council established a United Nations Commission on Conventional Armaments to deal with general questions concerning the regulation and reduction of armaments except those already assigned to the Atomic Energy Commission by the General Assembly.
The precise meaning of “other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction” has not yet been authoritatively determined. It is believed, however, that bacteriological warfare will be proposed as such a weapon for elimination. In any event, it is desirable to establish the U.S. position on this means of warfare at as early a date as practicable. With this in view it is requested that you undertake a study and furnish a report to the Secretaries of War and Navy on the technical aspects of bacteriological warfare which could serve as a basis for the formulation of a policy for submission to the President by the Secretaries of State, War and Navy.
[Page 422]In order to assist the organization of your work and the preparation of the report requested, the following are furnished as examples of the types of questions with which this Government is likely to be confronted in the course of forthcoming negotiations:
- a.
- Do bacteriological weapons now exist which are adaptable to mass destruction? Is it to be anticipated that bacteriological weapons can be developed in the future which are adaptable to mass destruction?
- b.
- If so, is it possible to devise a practicable system of international control, directed toward either elimination or regulation, with adequate safeguards to protect complying states against the hazards of violations and evasions? Can this be done without hampering the fullest development and exploitation of the biological sciences for the benefit of mankind?
The Joint Research and Development Board is invited to consider the broad aspects of this problem in order that those responsible for national policy may have the full benefit of the views of those most conversant with the technical aspects of the subject.
Since this subject may be a matter of early consideration in the United Nations, it is requested that this study be made and report rendered as soon as possible.
Robert P. Patterson
- The Joint Research and Development Board was established by agreement between the War and Navy Departments on June 6, 1946, for the coordination of research and development activities of interest to the two Departments.↩
- This document was signed by Patterson on February 19, and by Forrestal on February 21.↩