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Jan 1, 1200
Barbarossa used dead bodies to poison wells
During the battle of Tortona in the 12th century AD, Barbarossa used the bodies of dead and decomposing soldiers to poison wells. During the siege of Kaffa in the 14th century AD, the attacking Tatar forces hurled plague-infected corpses into the city in an attempt to cause an epidemic within enemy forces. This was repeated in 1710, when the Russians besieging Swedish forces at Reval in Estonia catapulted bodies of people who had died from plague. -
Mar 10, 1340
Medieval Siege
Attackers hurled dead horses and other animals by catapult at the castle of Thun L'Eveque in what is now northern france. The defenders reported that "the stink and air were so abominable, they could not endure long." A truce was negotiated. -
Russian beseige
The Russians besieging Swedish forces at Reval in Estonia catapulted bodies of people who had died from plague. -
german army developed anthrax and other viruses
During World War I, the German Army developed anthrax, glanders, cholera, and a wheat fungus specifically for use as biological weapons. They allegedly spread plague in St. Petersburg, Russia, infected mules with glanders in Mesopotamia, and attempted to do the same with the horses of the French Cavalry. -
the United States formed the War Research Service.
In 1942, the United States formed the War Research Service. Anthrax and botulinum toxin initially were investigated for use as weapons. Sufficient quantities of botulinum toxin and anthrax were stockpiled by June 1944 to allow unlimited retaliation if the German forces first used biological agents. The British also tested anthrax bombs on Gruinard Island off the northwest coast of Scotland in 1942 and 1943 and then prepared and stockpiled anthrax-laced cattle cakes for the same reason. -
Cold war
In 1969 the us military conducted a massive field test in the pacific. But soviet spies were in nearby waters, collecting samples of the agents tested.