Bat Bomb: World Struggle II’s Different Secret Weapon

It was a loopy method to win World Struggle II within the Pacific― All the US needed to do was to connect small incendiary bombs to thousands and thousands of bats and launch them over Japan’s main cities. Because the bats went to roost, 1,000,000 fires would flare up in distant crannies of the wooden and paper buildings widespread all through Japan. When their cities had been lowered to ashes, the Japanese would absolutely capitulate… The plan made sense to a handful of eccentric promoters and researchers, who satisfied prime army brass and even President Roosevelt to again the scheme. It might need labored, besides that one other secret weapon―one thing to do with atoms―was chosen to finish the struggle. Instructed right here by the youngest member of the group, that is the story of the bat bomb undertaking, or Venture X-Ray, because it was formally identified. In scenes worthy of a Capra or Hawks comedy, Jack Couffer recounts the unorthodox experiments carried out within the secrecy of Bandera, Texas, Carlsbad, New Mexico, and El Centro, California, in 1942-1943 by “Doc” Adams’ personal military. This oddball forged of characters included an eccentric inventor, a distinguished Harvard scientist, a biologist with a chip on his shoulder, a film star, a Texas guano collector, a crusty Marine Corps colonel, a Maine lobster fisherman, an ex-mobster, and a tiger. To not be defeated by minor logistical hurdles, the bat bomb researchers risked life and limb to discover uncharted bat caves and “recruit” hundreds of bats to serve their nation. By way of months of persona conflicts, army snafus, and technical failures the group pressed on, sure that bats may finish the struggle with Japan. They usually might need―of their first airborne take a look at, the bat bombers burned a whole brand-new army airfield to the bottom. For everybody who relishes true tales of motion and journey, Bat Bomb is a must-read. Bat fans may even uncover the beginnings of the scientific examine of bats.