ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the problem of biological weapons (BW) by placing it in scientific and historical context. At the outset, it is vital to note that BW threats are diverse in their effects and scale; they are not simply ‘weapons of mass destruction’ (WMD). The first section examines the scientific and technical aspects of biological agents and their means of delivery. These are important considerations for a state in choosing whether to acquire and/or maintain a BW capability. This is followed by a section that assesses the military value of such a capability in two dimensions – the tactical utility of BW and their strategic significance. The final section surveys the historical record of modern BW use, actual and alleged, in East Asia. This covers the period from the 1930s and Imperial Japan’s biological warfare programme to present-day suspicions that North Korea and China possess BW.
