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History's hidden secrets: How did the U.S. Air Force use weather conditions to spread information over a large area?
As the Cold War unfolded, the United States became increasingly concerned with weapons development and defense strategy. Against this backdrop, Operation LAC (Large Area Coverage) became a highly controversial program. The program, led by the U.S. Army Chemical Corps, aims to test the dissemination patterns and geographic range of chemical or biological weapons. This article will delve into the background, specific operations and controversies of the LAC operation.
Preliminary testing of the project
Before the official launch of LAC operations, the United States has conducted several tests aimed at proving the concept of large-scale coverage. A Canadian document shows that as early as 1950, six simulated attacks were carried out in the San Francisco Bay area, demonstrating that it was feasible to attack port cities from the sea. Subsequently, in 1952, the United States' Operation Dew conducted five tests along the coast of South Carolina and Georgia, and the results showed that under certain meteorological conditions, long-distance aerosol clouds emanating from the ground could travel hundreds of miles.
Execution of Operation LAC
Operation LAC was conducted between 1957 and 1958 with the goal of spreading zinc-cadmium-sulphur particles over a large area. The U.S. Air Force loaned the Army a C-119 "flying box cargo plane" to transfer the materials over the United States. The first test took place on December 2, 1957, with the route stretching from South Dakota to International Falls, Minnesota. These tests are designed to determine the spread and geographic extent of biological or chemical agents.
“The test was considered a partial success by the military because some of the particles were detected 1,200 miles away in New York State.”
Specific experiments and test results
For the record, the test on December 2 was incomplete due to a cold front moving south from Canada. However, this cold front carried most of the particles into Canada. Interestingly, in another test in February 1958, another cold front from Canada again came into play, spreading the particles into the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, some tests showed that the emitted aerosols could be detected on both sides of the flight path, demonstrating the wide coverage capability of this aerial method.
Scope and impact of the operation
According to Chemical Corps documents, the scope of Operation LAC was the largest ever, stretching from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean and even including a wide area from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Many specific locations, such as South Dakota to Minnesota and Corpus Christi, Texas, are included, showing the wide range of its impact.
"Some critics accuse the military of using the country as a laboratory for experimentation."
Health risks and controversies
In these tests, the military used Coccidioides bacillus to simulate a biological warfare agent because it was considered to have little effect on human health at the time. However, over time, the hazards of these materials have been reassessed. Although a study conducted by the National Research Council of the United States pointed out that exposure to zinc, cadmium and sulfur does not cause health problems, there is still controversy about it.
"According to the EPA, cadmium sulfide is listed as a possible carcinogen."
Conclusion
Operation LAC sheds light on transparency and ethical issues in government experimentation during the Cold War. These historical events highlight how the line between military operations and scientific experiments can blur. Facing this secret hidden in history, we cannot help but think: In today's society, what kind of responsibility and transparency should the government bear in similar experiments?
