Page 82 - Unit 731 Testimony

Fell met with some twenty people connected with biological warfare.
Then, back at Camp Detrick, he compiled the results and conclusions of his
mission and stated that the human experimentation conducted by the

Japanese would provide valuable data. The Soviets, ever the ping-pong ball
in the vying between Washington and Unit 731, appeared again, this time in
Fell's report when he quoted Ishii as saying, "My experience would be a
useful advantage to the United States in the event of a war with the Soviet
Union."

Three days after Fell's last report went off to Major General Alden
Waitt, chief of the U.S. Army's Chemical Corps, MacArthur's office
messaged the War Department that "Ishii states that if guaranteed immunity
from 'War Crimes' in documentary form for himself, superiors and
subordinates, he can describe program in detail.

"Ishii claims to have extensive theoretical high-level knowledge
including strategic and tactical use of BW on defense and offense, backed
by some research on best BW agents to employ by geographical areas of
Far East, [and] the use of BW in cold climates."

The viability of bacteria—their ability to survive and thrive—is
dependent upon their environment. Differences in the natural environmental
conditions of various regions mean that bacteria developed in the United
States, for example, may not do well in conditions in Asian areas, which
would degrade their effectiveness as weapons. Ishii's statement shows that

he had considered bacterial viability in relation to the various areas where
his units were functioning. If Asia were to be a continuing area of military
operation for the United States, biological weapons developed for Asian
environments would be of interest.

The Japanese knew by now that they had little to fear from the
Americans in terms of raw hate retribution. During the war, Japanese
civilians had been bombed, burned, and irradiated. American conduct from
the beginning of the Occupation, though, had consistently demonstrated that
the Japanese now would be treated in an orderly and compassionate
manner. This feeling of security contrasted directly to what Japanese

military leaders feared would happen to them at the hands of victorious
Russians and Chinese, whose civilian populations had suffered worse
atrocities. A message from MacArthur to Washington dated May 6, 1947
mentions clearly that "statements so far have been obtained by persuasion,