Biological weapons in war

Biological Weapons in War

When World War I started, the military had already begun to select homing pigeons from racing pigeon teams and turned them into regular communication tools. Homing pigeons have gradually become an important biological weapon in war.

In World War I, both warring sides invested tens of thousands of homing pigeons. At that time, radio communication technology was still in its infancy, and pigeons played an especially important role. Those soldiers who usually fed racing pigeons became the ones who trained them to deliver messages.

In the pigeon breeding base in the rear area, managers are breeding young pigeons that will serve as messengers. The young pigeons are transported to the portable pigeon house to learn to fly. They gradually learn to fly home from farther and farther away places, and although the location of their home continues to shift, they can learn to fly to a new destination within a few days.

On the front lines, these birds often had to wait for days in damp, rat-infested trenches, and were often attacked by poison gas. When it is finally their turn to show off their skills to deliver information, they are likely to be hit by enemy fire above the battlefield. Still, it’s amazing how reliable these young homing pigeons are as they navigate through gunfire.

In every war, there are some feats that can attract the attention of the world. An American homing pigeon named Chel Amey once delivered a message that saved hundreds of American soldiers. Although he was shot twice, Chel returned to his destination, and when he arrived, the small box containing the message was hanging on his broken calf.

Chelle Amee was revered and her remains are on display at the Smithsonian National Museum in Washington. During the peacetime between the two world wars, various countries actively expanded their military pigeon teams, and cultivating pigeons became an integral part of infantry training.

From the deserts of North Africa to the jungles of Burma, they carry messages for troops on the front lines and for espionage personnel behind enemy lines. No matter where they are, they have won the respect of soldiers.

British homing pigeons once performed missions with reconnaissance aircraft. Many downed pilots were saved because the pigeons notified the headquarters of the location of their accident. The British army also airdropped pigeons into the French countryside, asking locals to record the actions of the German army and bring the pigeons back to the UK. These birds have also been airdropped into enemy-occupied areas with troops so that officers and soldiers can send messages back from the landing ground.

When it is necessary to send intelligence, using radio communication is likely to reveal one's position. At this time, the role of pigeons is very obvious. Throughout World War II, the pigeon intelligence system maintained a high success rate. 98% of the messages carried by pigeons arrived safely. This was attributed to the ingenious method of transmitting intelligence at that time.

One of the most famous carrier pigeons in World War II was an American pigeon that delivered an important piece of information from Italy. Its name was Joe. Carrier pigeons can not only deliver intelligence, but also serve as "spies." The former Soviet Union once invented a bug that was smaller than the round head of a pin and could be installed on a fly. A bug on an ordinary fly.

An ordinary fly can fly on its back. According to reports, in 1973 there was an incident where flies were used to carry tiny bugs into a heavily guarded conference room. Flies sneak in through door cracks, key holes and ventilation systems. It had been sprayed with a kind of warp gas in advance and would die when it flew to its destination, and the bug had sneaked into the conference room.

As early as World War I, pigeons were used to secretly take photos of military positions. The camera is tied to the pigeon's chest, and the pigeon flies over the enemy's position with the automatic camera, secretly taking photos. When the pigeon flies back to its nest, the spy can take out the film and obtain aerial photography of the enemy's deployment.

The United States still used homing pigeons as spies in the 1970s. They installed miniature bugs on the feet of specially trained pigeons. The pigeons were guided by laser beams to fly to a predetermined location, and they clicked the bugs with their beaks. , the special switch of the bug is turned on immediately, automatically breaks away from the pigeon's feet, lands at the place where reconnaissance is needed, and the pigeon flies away calmly.

The intelligence agency can hear the sound from the bug at any time. And who would have thought that pigeons are flying spies? This "air spy" was originally used by the Germans. During the Franco-Prussian War, the Germans first used hydrogen balloons to conduct manned reconnaissance at night. They brought a cage of carrier pigeons with them to deliver messages.

When Paris, France was besieged, carrier pigeons were also used to call for help. However, the Germans set up a lot of poison-soaked grains specifically to deal with these "aerial spies." As a result, many carrier pigeons were poisoned and failed to complete the mission of calling for help. . With the widespread application of modern communication and coding technology, the history of pigeons serving mankind is coming to an end.

The U.S. military eliminated its homing pigeon special forces in the 1950s, and other armies around the world followed suit. But people will not forget them. In order to commemorate the brave spirit of pigeons, the U.S. Army Museum at Fort Monmouth displays the remains of homing pigeons, including Joe, for people to pay their respects.

There is a sculpture commemorating the Birds of War in Brussels; and in Lille, the French government erected a statue to commemorate the 20,000 pigeons who died in the First World War.