The development of biological warfare in World War II cannot be understood adequately unless the subject is placed in historical context. The authors of the chapters in this volume are international scholars. Erhard Geissler, a German virologist, analyses the German biological warfare activities from 1919 to 1945. Study of biological and toxin warfare activities before 1945 provides some guidance for the prevention of a new BTW arms race, and progress has been made since World War II in arms control and disarmament. However, history provides a number of warnings.
Transparency is more feasible in a climate of tranquillity, trust and openness.
Closed societies cultivate secrecy, inspire suspicion and breed instability. Even democratic societies, when threatened, close up to protect themselves. In situations of armed conflict worst-case scenarios understandably mould decisions and actions, which are dominated by intelligence evaluations and security chimeras. Once in place national programmes develop their own momentum. It is frequently more difficult to stop a programme than to start it.