Biological Weapons History Timeline

1346 - 2001 11 events

biological warfare

Siege of Caffa

1346

Mongols catapulted plague-infected bodies into Caffa spreading the Black Death in Europe

early biological warfare

Hittite Use of Tularemia

1500-1200

Hittites allegedly drove tularemia-infected victims into enemy lands causing epidemics

biological warfare

Pontiac’s Rebellion

1763

British soldiers gave smallpox-infected blankets to Native American tribes as biological warfare

military biowarfare

German Anthrax Sabotage

1914-1918

Germany used anthrax to infect Allied livestock during World War I

war crimes

Japanese Unit 731 Experiments

1930s-1945

Japan conducted biological warfare experiments using plague and anthrax on prisoners

bioterrorism experiment

Operation Sea-Spray

1950

U.S. Navy secretly released bacteria over San Francisco to test vulnerability to bioweapons

military testing

Project 112

1962-1973

U.S. conducted biological and chemical weapons tests including on naval ships

bioweapons testing

Aral Smallpox Incident

1971

Soviet biological weapons test caused a smallpox outbreak resulting in deaths

production

Biological Weapons Convention

1975

Treaty banning development

accidental release

Sverdlovsk Anthrax Leak

1979

Accidental release of anthrax spores from Soviet facility causing multiple deaths

bioterrorism

2001 Anthrax Attacks

2001

Anthrax spores sent through U.S. mail causing deaths and infections

1346 1500-1200 1763 1914-1918 1930s-1945 1950 1962-1973 1971 1975 1979 2001

Biological Weapons History Timeline

Title	Date	Era	Description	Category
Hittite Use of Tularemia	1500–1200 BCE	Ancient Civilizations	Hittites allegedly drove victims of tularemia into enemy lands, causing epidemics.	Early Biological Warfare
Siege of Caffa	1346 CE	Medieval Period	Mongols catapulted plague-infected bodies into Caffa, initiating the Black Death in Europe.	Biological Warfare
Pontiac’s Rebellion	1763 CE	Colonial Period	British soldiers gave smallpox-infected blankets to Native American tribes.	Biological Warfare
German Anthrax Sabotage	1914–1918 CE	World War I	Germany conducted sabotage operations using anthrax to infect Allied livestock.	Military Biowarfare
Japanese Unit 731 Experiments	1930s–1945 CE	World War II	Japan conducted biological warfare experiments on prisoners, including plague and anthrax.	War Crimes
Operation Sea-Spray	1950 CE	Cold War	U.S. Navy secretly released bacteria over San Francisco to study vulnerability to bioweapons.	Bioterrorism Experiment
Project 112	1962–1973 CE	Cold War	U.S. conducted biological and chemical weapon tests, including on warships.	Military Testing
Sverdlovsk Anthrax Leak	1979 CE	Cold War	Accidental release of anthrax spores from a Soviet facility, causing at least 68 deaths.	Accidental Release
Aral Smallpox Incident	1971 CE	Cold War	Soviet test of smallpox virus led to an outbreak, resulting in 3 deaths.	Bioweapons Testing
Biological Weapons Convention	1975 CE	Post-Cold War	Treaty banning the development, production, and stockpiling of biological weapons.	Disarmament Treaty
Sverdlovsk Anthrax Leak	1979 CE	Cold War	Accidental release of anthrax spores from a Soviet facility, causing at least 68 deaths.	Accidental Release
2001 Anthrax Attacks	2001 CE	Early 21st Century	Anthrax spores sent through U.S. mail, resulting in 5 deaths and 17 infections.	Bioterrorism
2001 Anthrax Attacks	2001 CE	Early 21st Century	Anthrax spores sent through U.S. mail, resulting in 5 deaths and 17 infections.	Bioterrorism
2001 Anthrax Attacks	2001 CE	Early 21st Century	Anthrax spores sent through U.S. mail, resulting in 5 deaths and 17 infections.	Bioterrorism
2001 Anthrax Attacks	2001 CE	Early 21st Century	Anthrax spores sent through U.S. mail, resulting in 5 deaths and 17 infections.	Bioterrorism