Show biological WARFARE BUGABOO germs as weapons potent but exaggerated james forrestal retiring secretary of defense has broken an official three year military silence on the use or discussion of the term biological warfare and in a formal statement characterized much that has been written about the potency of germ weapons as exaggerated fantastic or unduly spectacular ta forrestal advised the public that it would be folly to underestimate the potentialities of biological warfare and he disclosed that research had shown that germs or their poisonous products could be used effectively as weapons of war at the same time he denied the existence of any big biological logical super weapon the secre statement ended a secrecy curb the silence order was imposed early in 1946 following the public issuance and later withdrawal of a report on the subject by the war department drawn up by the american chemical manufacturer george W merck this report told of the successful efforts by the allies in world war II 11 to be prepared for possible use of germ weapons by the axis countries disclosure of these research activities tivi ties set off a chain of speculation mostly describing t the h e fearful effects of germ warfare |