Bomb, chemical Japanese

The military uses of HCN were first realized by Napoleon III, but it was not until World War I (WW I) that this application received widespread consideration. About 3.6 million kg of hydrogen cyanide were manufactured by France as a chemical weapon and used in WW I in various mixtures called Manganite and Bincennite, although its use was not highly successful because of limitations in projectile size and other factors. During WW II, the Japanese were armed with 50-kg HCN bombs, and the United States had 500-kg bombs. More than 500,000 kg of HCN chemical weapons were produced during WW II by Japan, the United States, and the Soviet Union, but it is not known to what extent these weapons were used in that conflict (Way 1981). 

For radionuclides, NCRP reaffirms use of a best estimate (MLE) of the response probability obtained from a linear or linear-quadratic model as derived from data in humans, principally the Japanese atomic-bomb survivors. This model essentially is linear at the low doses of concern to waste classification. Specifically, for purposes of health protection of the public, NCRP reaffirms use of a probability coefficient for fatal cancers (probability per unit effective dose) of 0.05 Sv 1 (ICRP, 1991 NCRP, 1993a). Although this probability coefficient is less rigorous for intakes of some long-lived radionuclides that are tenaciously retained in the body than for other exposure situations, such as external exposure or intakes of short-lived radionuclides (Eckerman et al., 1999), it is adequate for the purpose of generally classifying waste, especially when the lack of data on cancer risks in humans for most chemicals is considered. 

However, during the Second World War, apart from Japanese operations in China, chemical weapons were not used and, after the defeat of the Axis powers, the advent of the atomic bomb overshadowed chemical warfare-related issues. Chemical weapons essentially disappeared from the disarmament scene until the late 1960s when events in the Vietnam War prompted the United Nations to prioritise chemical disarmament. However, it should be noted that the United Nations is, of course, the servant of its member states, not master of them, and as such is really in no position to prioritise anything. Indeed, the reality was that in 1968 was that the Eighteen Nation Disarmament Conference decided to... 

DAVINCH technology has been used in Japan to destroy 600 Japanese chemical bombs, some containing a mustard agent/lewisite mixture and others containing vomiting agents. The technology has not been used in the United States to destroy non-stockpile chemical munitions. 

DAVINCH (DV-60) Yellow bombs 9/day Red bombs 18/day 75-mm, 90-mm munitions 36/day Detonation gases held in tank and tested for agent before decision made to release or provide additional treatment 65 kg TNT-equivalent expected to be an 8-in. projectile or a small bomb Experience with destruction of 600 Japanese Red and Yellow chemical bombs containing various agents DV-60 designed to be a fixed facility, not transportable... 

Is the process capable of handling multiple munition types Yes. Has handled chemical projectiles up to 155-mm. Has destroyed wide range of conventional munitions. Has handled only two types of Japanese bombs so far. Needs to demonstrate ability to destroy other munition types. Yes. Has been used for a large variety of conventional items, e.g., grenades, cartridges, mortar rounds, projectiles, mines, fuzes. Yes, but size-limited. 

Fig. 2-25. The Japanese UJI bacterial bomb, drawn from sketches given to Lieutenant Colonel Murray Sanders, Chemical Warfare Service, in 1945. Porcelain rather than metal was used to form the shell because it could be shattered by a much smaller explosive charge. This protected the biological agent, assuring that it would be subjected to less heat and pressure. Reprinted from Scientific and Technical Advisory Section, US Army Forces, Pacific. Biological Warfare. Vol 5. In Report on Scientific Intelligence Survey in Japan. HQ, US Army Forces, Pacific 1945 appended chart.

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