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@article{ART002754561},
author={Jeon, Ye-mok},
title={The Process of ‘Biological Warfare’ Allegation and Behind-The-Scenes Accounts during the Korean War},
journal={military history},
issn={1598-317X},
year={2021},
number={120},
pages={1-42},
doi={10.29212/mh.2021..120.1}

TY - JOUR
AU - Jeon, Ye-mok
TI - The Process of ‘Biological Warfare’ Allegation and Behind-The-Scenes Accounts during the Korean War
JO - military history
PY - 2021
VL - null
IS - 120
PB - Military History Institute, MND
SP - 1
EP - 42
SN - 1598-317X
AB - This article aims to examine a series of events when North Korea, China, and the Soviet Union raised the allegation of 'biological warfare' against the US and allies, and its inner story by comparing and analyzing documents, letters, memoirs recorded in Korea, China, Britain, the Soviet Union, and the US during the Korean War. This article consists of two parts. The first part examines the process of raising the allegations mainly from 1951 to 1952. The allegations of biological warfare by the US were first raised on May 8, 1951 by Park Heon-young, a foreign minister of North Korea. In 1952, the large-scale propaganda of the 'biological warfare' allegations occurred in cooperation with North Korea, China, and the Soviet Union. Three investigation teams were, supported by those three countries, also established. The second one looks into 'evidence' provided by communist countries was highly likely to be fabricated. This fabrication was attested to in the memoir of a head of the Chinese Army's sanitary department, Wu Zhi-ri, as also was reaffirmed in documents of the Soviet Union, implying that the origin of allegations of 1952 was from China. This revelation, however, does not necessarily conclude that the allegations were entirely manipulated. China and the Soviet Union used the allegations of 'biological warfare' for the benefit of their countries. China appeared to use the allegation to gain military and medical supports from the Soviet Union. This study limitedly presents new facts, but it reveals several new facts. First, the origins of the 1951 and 1952 'biological warfare' were different from each other, and those were the Soviet Union and China, respectively. Second, the North Korean leader's position on 'biological warfare' changed between 1952 and 1953. Third, in 1952 the Chinese leaders knew that the biological warfare theory was false but did not inform low-level government officials.
KW - Korean War;North Korea;Biological Warfare;Germ Warfare;People's Volunteer Army;Infectious Disease;Psychological War;Propaganda;Soviet Union;Cold War;United States;Crawford Sams
DO - 10.29212/mh.2021..120.1
ER -

Jeon, Ye-mok. (2021). The Process of ‘Biological Warfare’ Allegation and Behind-The-Scenes Accounts during the Korean War. military history, 120, 1-42.

Jeon, Ye-mok. 2021, "The Process of ‘Biological Warfare’ Allegation and Behind-The-Scenes Accounts during the Korean War", military history, no.120, pp.1-42. Available from: doi:10.29212/mh.2021..120.1

Jeon, Ye-mok "The Process of ‘Biological Warfare’ Allegation and Behind-The-Scenes Accounts during the Korean War" military history 120 pp.1-42 (2021) : 1.

Jeon, Ye-mok. The Process of ‘Biological Warfare’ Allegation and Behind-The-Scenes Accounts during the Korean War. 2021; 120 : 1-42. Available from: doi:10.29212/mh.2021..120.1

Jeon, Ye-mok. "The Process of ‘Biological Warfare’ Allegation and Behind-The-Scenes Accounts during the Korean War" military history no.120(2021) : 1-42.doi: 10.29212/mh.2021..120.1

Jeon, Ye-mok. The Process of ‘Biological Warfare’ Allegation and Behind-The-Scenes Accounts during the Korean War. military history, 120, 1-42. doi: 10.29212/mh.2021..120.1

Jeon, Ye-mok. The Process of ‘Biological Warfare’ Allegation and Behind-The-Scenes Accounts during the Korean War. military history. 2021; 120 1-42. doi: 10.29212/mh.2021..120.1

Jeon, Ye-mok. The Process of ‘Biological Warfare’ Allegation and Behind-The-Scenes Accounts during the Korean War. 2021; 120 : 1-42. Available from: doi:10.29212/mh.2021..120.1

Jeon, Ye-mok. "The Process of ‘Biological Warfare’ Allegation and Behind-The-Scenes Accounts during the Korean War" military history no.120(2021) : 1-42.doi: 10.29212/mh.2021..120.1