Page 72 - All About History - Issue 09-14

10 dirty tricks of World War II

851 607 CA classified

Bat bombs

hen the attack on Pearl Harbour bombers that would fly over Japan. It was Tests were successful. A replica town
by the Japanese Army forced envisaged the containers would open and was built in the desert and the weapon was
the US into WWII, it demanded unleash the flying rodents across whatever taken up in December 1943. Fires raged
a widespread response that city was being targeted. There they would across the fake town in Utah and the US
W would shock Japan into nestle in eaves and attics and, once the testers loved the fact the bats were able to
submission. The result was Project X-Ray. small, individual bombs were set off (they place themselves in areas that made them
More commonly known as the Bat Bomb, had timers set for 30 minutes), the bats difficult to be discovered.
Dr Lytle S Adams suggested attaching tiny would start fires in the most difficult-to- And yet the plan was taking too long and
incendiary bombs to more than a thousand reach places and cause widespread chaos. officers were becoming restless. Despite
bats crammed into a 1.5-metre (five-foot) Those with concern for the bats were more tests being prepared for the following
high refrigerated container on 26 trays. told by the Chemical Warfare Service that summer, Fleet Admiral Ernest J King
Sufficiently cool, the bats would hibernate the mammals would chew through the became nervous at news that the bomb
and so could be left alone while further string that attached them to the bombs would not be ready for proper use until
preparations were made. and enable them to escape safely well at least mid-1945. He was also concerned
Dr Adams implored the White House to before detonation. Experts also suggested about the $2 million (£1.2 million) the
take his idea on and president Roosevelt the Mexican free-tailed bat would be best project had cost up until that point. The
approved the plan in January 1942. The for the role and would have little problem project was subsequently cancelled and
containers would, he said, be placed into flying with an 18-gram explosive in tow. never used in war.

Devised by: United States

Did it work? Fed up with waiting, Tiny bombs Bats from the experimental
Bat bomb set the Army Air
The bats would hide in
attentions turned to an alternative eaves and attics across Base in New Mexico on fire
method of bombing: the atomic bomb. Warning a city where they
would remain. Within
Disclosing this information will result in Court Martial
30 minutes the bombs
would detonate and
cause fires.
The canister
Produced by the US Army
Air Forces, the canister Tiny bombs The bomber
contained 26 trays on Each bat would have a
which 1,000 bats would small incendiary device The canisters were to
hibernate. attached to it. be carried in a bomber
aircraft high above a
targeted city.
Opening up
As the canister dropped
from the sky with the
aid of a parachute and
reached 305m (1,000ft),
it would open up and free
the bats.

“ The bats would

start fires in the
most difficult-to-

reach places and
cause chaos”

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