Impact of Chemical and Biological Warfare on the Operational Level of War

摘要

Chemical and biological warfare (CBW) is considered a major threat to U.S.security. However, it is not universally agreed that CBW can have a significant impact on the operational level of war. Critics cite that the use of gas during World War I did not yield a decisive victory. They contend that chemical weapons are only nuisance weapons that are only effective against unprotected troops. An examination of history shows that chemical warfare can have an affect on the operational level of war. For example, the first gas attack during World War I was shockingly effective, but was not exploited since it was only considered an experiment. The last historical example from World War II revealed that the Germans could have defeated the Normandy invasion with the use of nerve gas. The actual extent of the impact of CBW on the operational level of war can only be determined by examining the threat capabilities and employment concepts. Since World War II, chemical and biological weapons were significantly improved. In addition, there has been a significant improvement in the range and accuracy of the CBW delivery systems. Furthermore, the extensive proliferation of chemical and biological weapons fueled by regional instabilities has increased the likelihood of CBW. Finally, a comparison of possible friendly force projection scenarios using CBW as a force multiplier demonstrated that CBW can potentially have a significant impact on the operational level of war.