The bat bomb was designed to terrorize the people of Japan in the most unexpected way.
Wikimedia CommonsErrant squash racket from the data-based bat bomb congeal the Army Air Base in Carlsbad , New Mexico on ardor . 1942 .
When one think of modern military strategy , they think of terms like guerrilla warfare or planes dropping bombs . You have it off , weapons that cause maximum damage and mass destruction .
They do n’t usually assume cricket bat .
Wikimedia CommonsErrant bats from the experimental bat bomb set the Army Air Base in Carlsbad, New Mexico on fire. 1942.
However , it may shock you to believe that that ’s incisively what the White House signed off on in World War II .
The ridiculousplan , in which bombs full of bats , which were in turn full of smaller turkey , were pretermit on Japanese cities , was invented by a dentist . Naturally , because who else could amount up with something so bloodcurdling as a chiropteran bomb ?
Dr. Lytle S. Adams , like most Americans at the sentence , was enraged by the attack on Pearl Harbor and had begun take care into what he could do to lend his support to the war efforts .
Bettman/Getty ImagesPresident Franklin Delano Roosevelt signs a resolution declaring war on Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Having just return from a vacation in New Mexico , he remember being “ tremendously impressed ” by the Mexican Free - Tailed Bats , which migrate every class through the state and live in the first place in Carlsbad Caverns .
After reading up on them , he returned to the caverns to capture some for himself . Upon take them , Dr. Adams realized that they were perfectly suited for warfare .
After all , they were able to resist high altitudes , fly long distances , and bear heavy loads — such as tiny timed bombs .
Timelife Pictures/Getty ImagesA lightweight bomb that would be attached to the bats.
Like most Americans in the 30 ’s and 40 ’s , Adams image of Japan was a mo skewed . Most the great unwashed think Japan was an island of crowded cities“filled with paper - and - Sir Henry Wood star sign and manufactory . ” .
With that geartrain of cerebration , he believed that with enough bat bombs , the military could be wipe out intact metropolis simply by let the bats do what they do best — migrate and blot out in dreary places .
So he did what any interested citizen with a glorious plan would do . He outline his programme and send it to the White House .
The proposal seemed like the plot of a B - repulsion movie . It promised to “ frighten , misdirect and agitate the preconception of the Japanese Empire , ” claiming that “ the millions of bats that have for age inhabited our belfries , tunnel and cavern were placed there by God to await this hr . ”
Adams was clear paranoid , noting that the program “ might easily be used against us if the secret is not carefully guard . However , Adams was also very confident .
“ As fantastic as you may regard the idea , ” he said . “ I am convinced that it will work . ”
Bettman / Getty ImagesPresident Franklin Delano Roosevelt sign a declaration declaring war on Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor .
The proposal in reality made it into to President Roosevelt ’s hands ( most likely due to Adams personal friendship with first lady Eleanor ) , and he passed it along to his head of wartime intelligence ColonelWilliam J. Donovan .
Roosevelt also included a letter of his own , backing up Adams ludicrous possibility .
“ This man is not a testicle , ” he wrote . “ It sounds like a utterly wild idea , but is deserving look into . ”
The proposal also chance its way toDonald Griffin , who had pioneered research on bats ’ echolocation strategies . Griffin lend his financial support to the plan in a letter .
“ This proposal seems gonzo and visionary at first coup d’oeil , ” he wrote , “ but extensive experience with data-based biology convinces the author that if executed competently it would have every chance of success . ”
After seeing Adams ’ manifestation using the bats he had catch himself , the White House assembled a squad and eventually agreed upon using the Mexican Free - tail squash racquet . The U.S. Air Force then gave the agency for investigation to begin , and the plan became known asProject X - Ray .
Timelife Pictures / Getty ImagesA lightweight bomb that would be attached to the bats .
Thousands of bats were beguile across the southwest , midget bombs were design , and a transport method was engineered . However , a hitch in the plan was soon come upon , and after a minor setback where the Carlsbad Army Airfield Auxiliary Air Base and caught fire , the design was scrapped .
It turned out that the transportation of the bat and the toll of researching raw method acting was the real problem . After 30 different demonstrations and $ 2 million spent on written report , they gave up . There were , after all , rumors of a far more powerful weapon system that could be used — the nuclear bomb .
Alas , the bat bomb was not meant to be , however gung - ho the entire White House seemed to be about it . X was disappointed . However , he would come up with a few more crazy dodge . Some of which include seed packet bombs and a fried chicken huckster car .
Though Adams was lease down by the squash racket bomb ’s lack of succeeder , we can sham that the bats were fairly happy about it .
Enjoy this article on the bat dud ? condition out this story aboutthe most gonzo weapons . Then scan about howAmerican workershelped the Allies win WWII . Finally , read up onWorld War II zep Desmond Doss .
