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 |
