How did Zhou Enlai respond when the United States launched a bacterial war?

In January 1952, the American invaders launched a large-scale bacteriological war on the Korean battlefield, throwing more than 30 kinds of flies, mosquitoes, spiders, ants, bedbugs, fleas and other bacteria carrying insects with pestis, cholera, meningitis and other pathogens in Korea, Northeast China, Qingdao and other places. Some diseases that have never been seen before, such as anthrax meningitis and acute infectious encephalitis, have begun to spread in polluted areas such as Liaoning Province.

On February 18th, Nie Rongzhen reported this situation to the central government. After Mao Zedong's instructions, Zhou Enlai immediately proposed a series of countermeasures:

1. Intensify the testing of insects and bacteria sent back ahead;

2. Deliver epidemic prevention teams, vaccines, and supplies to the front;

3. Accuse the world of the crimes committed by the American aggressors and hold the United States accountable for the consequences;

4. Recommend to the World Peace Council to launch activities against the United States engaging in bacteriological warfare, etc;

5. Mobilize for epidemic prevention ahead, and also increase vigilance in Northeast China;

6. Notify the Soviet government of this matter and request their assistance.

On February 23rd, Zhou Enlai proposed a two-stage epidemic prevention plan outline: the first stage is preparation and prevention in the current situation where the pathogen has not yet developed;

The second stage is: if the United States continues to engage in bacterial warfare after publicly accusing our country, we need to take comprehensive emergency measures. On that day, Mao Zedong approved this proposal.

Four rounds of bacteriological bombs dropped by the US military on North Korea

According to this plan, Zhou Enlai began to take action:

Firstly, Zhou Enlai made an emergency deployment for domestic anti bacterial warfare work: clarifying the emergency epidemic prevention measures that should be taken domestically after the United States expands bacterial warfare to Northeast China.
Subsequently, Zhou Enlai proposed to launch a nationwide people's epidemic prevention campaign and establish a Central Epidemic Prevention Committee, with Zhou Enlai as the director. On March 19th, Zhou Enlai issued the "Directive on the Anti Bacterial War" in the name of the Director of the Central Epidemic Prevention Committee. The 'Instructions' stipulate that:

1. North Korea is an epidemic area;

2. Northeast China is an emergency epidemic prevention area;

3. The coastal areas of North China, East China, and Central South China are designated as epidemic prevention monitoring zones;

4. North China, East China, Central and Southern China, as well as Northwest and Southwest China, are designated as epidemic prevention preparation areas.

The main tasks of epidemic areas are:

1. Conduct health surveillance;

2. Universal implementation of preventive injections;

3. Kill vector animals;

4. Designate hospitals to prepare for the containment of infectious patients;

5. Report the epidemic immediately;

6. Implement epidemic area blockade;

7. To carry out epidemic prevention propaganda to the people, it is necessary to raise their vigilance and avoid causing panic.

Zhou Enlai emphasized the need to scientifically carry out epidemic prevention work under the guidance of experts, and proposed the establishment of a strict epidemic reporting system. Local lockdowns and isolation should be implemented in areas where epidemics are discovered to cut off the source of infection. These strict measures have played a crucial role in controlling the epidemic.

Secondly, Zhou Enlai made efforts to garner widespread support from the international community. On February 24th and March 8th, he issued two statements calling on peace loving people around the world to take action to stop the crazy and evil behavior of the US government. This incident shocked the whole world.

At the same time, Zhou Enlai also proposed to form an American bacterial warfare investigation team composed of relevant personnel to collect evidence of the aggressors' crimes:

1. Notify relevant departments and regional health agencies to collect materials sufficient to prove that the enemy is engaged in bacterial warfare;

2. A survey team consisting of the Chinese Red Cross and various people's organizations went to North Korea and Northeast China for on-site investigation.

After Zhou Enlai's unremitting efforts, two investigation teams went to the battlefields of Northeast China and Korea, especially the "International Scientific Committee Investigation Team" composed of scientists from Sweden, France, Britain, Italy, Brazil, the Soviet Union, China and other countries. After investigation, the "Report of the International Scientific Committee on Investigating the Facts of Bacterial Warfare in Korea and China" was released, which fully confirmed that "the people of North Korea and Northeast China have indeed become targets of bacterial weapons attacks; the US military has used these bacterial weapons in many different ways, some of which seem to have been developed from the methods used by the Japanese army in bacterial warfare during World War II." This measure thoroughly exposed the aggression of the United States.

Finally, Zhou Enlai summarized the work of China's anti bacterial warfare and proposed:

1. Regardless of whether the enemy continues to spread poisonous insects and toxins, our epidemic prevention work must persist until after autumn this year.

2. Strive not only to crush the enemy's bacterial warfare, but also to improve our hygiene work by doing so.

3. In order to quickly control an epidemic once it occurs, major regions should attach importance to anti bacterial warfare and epidemic prevention work, continue to carry out mass health campaigns, strengthen the training of epidemic prevention teams, and establish strict epidemic prevention reporting systems in various places.

Under Zhou Enlai's strategic planning, the anti bacterial war ended in victory for the Chinese and Korean people and defeat for the American aggressors by the winter of 1952.

reference materials

Li Honghe's "The Anti Bacterial War Led by Zhou Enlai in the Early Years of the Founding of New China"

Report of the International Scientific Committee on Investigating the Facts of Bacterial Warfare in North Korea and China

Liaoning Provincial Local Chronicles Compilation Committee Office compiled "Liaoning Provincial Chronicles - Health Chronicles"

Zhou Enlai Chronology (1949-1976), Volume 1, Central Literature Publishing House, 1997 edition

People's Daily, 1952

Major Events in Contemporary Chinese Health Care (1949-1990)

Report of the International Scientific Committee on Investigating the Facts of Bacterial Warfare in North Korea and China

Selected Documents on Health, Epidemic Prevention, and Medical Work by Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai

Summary Report on Anti Bacterial Warfare Work in the Past Two Months

Brief Report on the Anti Bacterial War and Epidemic Prevention Work in April

Report on the Spread of Poisonous Insects and Toxic Substances by Enemy Aircraft in May and Our Epidemic Prevention Work