Living Weapon: American Experience
The Living Weapon (#1908)
In early 1942, shortly after the United States entered World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt received an alarming intelligence report: Germany and Japan were developing biological weapons for potential offensive use. In response, the U.S. and its allies rushed to develop their own germ warfare program, enlisting some of America's most promising scientists in the effort. This program examines the international race to develop biological weapons in the 1940s and 1950s, revealing the scientific and technical challenges scientists faced and the moral dilemmas posed by their eventual success. As America's germ warfare program expanded during the Cold War, scientists began to conduct their own covert tests on human volunteers. The United States continued the development and stockpiling of biological weapons until President Nixon terminated the program in 1969. "Biological weapons have massive, unpredictable, and potentially uncontrollable consequences," he told the nation. "Mankind already carries in its hands too many of the seeds of its own destruction." [56 minutes]
Watch Video From This Episode Online
This episode has not aired in the past few months on Iowa Public Television.
-
American Experience | The Living Weapon Preview... (#1908)
The international race to develop biological weapons during the 20th century. 00:36
-
American Experience | Government Film: Operation... (#1908)
U.S. Army film about the effects of protective hoods in a toxic atmosphere. 09:09
-
American Experience | Government Film:... (#1908)
A U.S. Government film on the procedure for the dispersion of a biological weapon. 08:26
-
American Experience | Government film:... (#1908)
A U.S. Government film about food poisoning, and testing Enterotoxin on monkeys. 05:46
-
American Experience | On the Set of The Living... (#1908)
See how the production team shot the desert recreation scenes. 06:36
- Watch more video from this program »
All Episodes
-
The Living Weapon (#1908)
In early 1942, shortly after the United States entered World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt received an alarming intelligence report: Germany and Japan were developing biological weapons for potential offensive use. In response, the U.S. and its allies rushed to develop their own germ warfare program, enlisting some of America's most promising scientists in the effort. This program examines the international race to develop biological weapons in the 1940s and 1950s, revealing the scientific and technical challenges scientists faced and the moral dilemmas posed by their eventual success. As America's germ warfare program expanded during the Cold War, scientists began to conduct their own covert tests on human volunteers. The United States continued the development and stockpiling of biological weapons until President Nixon terminated the program in 1969. "Biological weapons have massive, unpredictable, and potentially uncontrollable consequences," he told the nation. "Mankind already carries in its hands too many of the seeds of its own destruction." [56 minutes]
Watch Video From This Episode Online