Author: Christine Chen
Editors: Jonathan Chen, Roan Aly
Artist: Carys Chan
Human history has been deeply affected by wars. The outcome of these conflicts are influenced by many factors, including ammunition, manpower, and the spread of disease. Infectious diseases, especially those that take advantage of poor conditions during wars—bad sanitation, lack of food, water, and health services—help spread the diseases quicker. The use of these diseases in war is known as biological warfare. Examples include the Mongols catapulting bodies infected with the black plague over the city walls of Caffa, Crimea, the Polish firing the saliva of rabid dogs to their enemies, and the British colonizers bringing smallpox to American colonies. Biological warfare has been used against both military and civilian populations throughout history.
One form of biological warfare that has been used throughout human history is malaria. Over time, humans have developed genetic and cultural ways to resist malaria. The parasite that causes malaria, Plasmodium, has evolved with humans for thousands of years, causing harm to humans over 5000 years ago. Today, malaria still causes a significant amount of disability and death worldwide, and its spread is aided by humans—often unintentionally—creating ideal breeding grounds for the main propagator of the disease: the Anopheles mosquito. Several species of the Plasmodium parasite are responsible for different forms of the disease. Malaria causes symptoms such as fever, fatigue, nausea, organ swelling and, without the right care, can lead to coma or death. It is arguably one of the most dangerous diseases considering drug resistance and insecticide resistance has made controlling malaria more difficult.
Malaria has played a role in military history, affecting the outcome of wars. Warfare is categorized into different stages, known as the “generations” of war. These generations begin with traditional lines to more advanced technology like tanks and blitzkrieg tactics. Even with changes in warfare, malaria poses a serious threat to the health of people involved in conflict. The disease was first described by the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, who noted chills, fever, and sweating. Malaria’s impact on the military is notable as well. Alexander the Great, one of the most famous military leaders in history, likely died from malaria, which halted his military conquest and expansion of his empire. The Roman Empire also suffered its effects, thinking it was caused by “bad air.” Its high prevalence contributed to social and military instability. However, it has helped Rome, when Attila the Hun’s army was forced to retreat in 452 AD because of the risk of malaria in the region.
The effects of malaria militarily are often passive, but Napoleon, who was aware of the role of malaria in weakening his enemies, flooded the plains around Walcheren to create the ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. He hoped that opposing the English with nothing but fever would devour them. Nazi Germany has also been rumored to try to use malaria-carrying mosquitoes as a weapon during WWII. There are debates among historians, but many records show that they conducted research in the Dachau concentration camp, which points to the existence of a program that could have been used to spread malaria by air-dropping infected mosquitoes on enemy populations. According to the newly discovered records, a group of historians tested the feasibility of using mosquitoes as a vector for biological warfare. Specifically, they looked at the ability for malaria-carrying mosquitoes to survive under conditions where they would have been transported. Because they would not survive, the Germans did not act upon it, but there is still evidence surrounding the fact that they considered it.
Malaria has played a part as a decisive force to see who wins wars. It has been constantly around us and can be employed in theory. The use of biological warfare reveals the lengths at which military powers are willing to employ to disrupt their enemies. Throughout history, biological warfare has not only inflicted suffering on the military, but has also devastated the civilian populations, leaving behind its legacy of death and destruction.
Citations:
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