"What if "Operation Cherry Blossoms at Night" had happened" Topic

"The Imperial Japanese Military routinely experimented with, and utilized, biological warfare during World War II. Its infamous Unit 731, commanded by Major Shiro Ishii, conducted ghastly experiments involving hypothermia, induced heart attacks, and infectious disease on Chinese civilians and even American POWs. As a result, the Japanese developed biological weapons such as bombs that could spread plague, cholera, and anthrax. These weapons were used repeatedly against Chinese cities and killed thousands of non-combatants.

Japan was hesitant to use biological weapons against the US, but as defeat loomed and the Japanese war effort became increasingly desperate, Ishii planned a massive biological attack on Southern California. Operation Cherry Blossoms at Night would direct five long distance submarines to the vicinity of San Diego. The subs would launch specially designed dive bombers carrying plague-infected fleas. The pilots of these planes would crash at the earliest opportunity, hoping to induce a plague pandemic.

Although the plan was approved in March of 1945, logistics prevented it from being implemented before Japan's surrender. Ishii used his extensive knowledge of biological warfare to avoid war crimes prosecution, and died in 1959."

See here

link

Amicalement
Armand

We've been able to treat Black Plague since the invention of Penicillin, I doubt it would have been a significant issue.

Plus, not to put too fine a point on it, but the ground squirrels and stuff in the US are known carriers for it even today.

Yep, cases of it show up on the Navajo Reservation every year among those who live in traditional Hagans along with various rodents.

True – the Black Plaque had a lot to do with living conditions and public hygiene

And our esteemed colleagues are exactly right – there is endemic plague in North America with cases popping up every now and then

Mass production of Penicillin was one of the many things that came from WW2. In 1945 such an attack would have strained the available supply. At that time a patient's urine was collected to recover the excreted penicillin. It might take a while to ramp that up to the level needed.
During The War of Lincoln's Aggression there was such a campaign of collecting from honey pots to reap the nitrogen, a component of gun powder. A bit of doggerel (that I can't find just now) ending something like "they [the ladies] gave their pee for nitre"

Thanks!.

Amicalement
Armand

It would have resulted in worse for Japan than Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Agreed … we were already ed off about Pearl Harbor … So it would have turned out very poorly for Japan but more so …