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Project X-Ray & The Bat Bombs of World War II

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Manage episode 474319485 series 2509791
Content provided by Ben Cutmore. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Ben Cutmore or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://staging.podcastplayer.com/legal.

Amid the chaos of World War II, a secret project emerged from the depths of military innovation—Project X-Ray. It was an idea so strange, so deceptively simple, it bordered on madness: an army of bats, each carrying a hidden firestorm. Under the cover of night, they would infiltrate enemy cities, vanishing into eaves and rafters—silent and unseen. Without warning, flames would erupt from the shadows, consuming everything in their wake. Designed to spread fear as much as fire, the plan was as terrifying as it was eccentric and most would have been excused for believing it could surely never work. But then, if necessity was the mother of invention, bravery was surely the mother of success, and as the world found out in 1945, the war effort needed something bold.

SOURCES

Couffer, Jack (1992) Bat Bomb: World War II’s Other Secret Weapon. University of Texas Press, TX, USA.

Alperovitz, Gar (1995) The Decision to use the Atomic Bomb. Harper Collins, London, UK.

Ham, Paul (2011) Hiroshima Nagasaki. Harper Collins, London, UK.

McNichols, Charles L and Carus, Clayton D. (1942) One Way to Cripple Japan: The Inflammable Cities of Osaka Bay. Harper's, June 1942, pp. 29-36. NY, USA.

Trimble, William F. & Lewis, David (1988) Lytle S. Adams, the Apostle of Nonstop Airmail Pickup. Technology and Culture, Vol. 29, No. 2 (Apr., 1988), pp. 247-265. The Johns Hopkins University Press, USA.

-------

For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com

Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories

The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories

Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9

Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast

Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories

& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/

Or you can contact us directly via email at [email protected]

or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf

The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye

Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017

Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  continue reading

216 episodes

Artwork
iconShare
 
Manage episode 474319485 series 2509791
Content provided by Ben Cutmore. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Ben Cutmore or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://staging.podcastplayer.com/legal.

Amid the chaos of World War II, a secret project emerged from the depths of military innovation—Project X-Ray. It was an idea so strange, so deceptively simple, it bordered on madness: an army of bats, each carrying a hidden firestorm. Under the cover of night, they would infiltrate enemy cities, vanishing into eaves and rafters—silent and unseen. Without warning, flames would erupt from the shadows, consuming everything in their wake. Designed to spread fear as much as fire, the plan was as terrifying as it was eccentric and most would have been excused for believing it could surely never work. But then, if necessity was the mother of invention, bravery was surely the mother of success, and as the world found out in 1945, the war effort needed something bold.

SOURCES

Couffer, Jack (1992) Bat Bomb: World War II’s Other Secret Weapon. University of Texas Press, TX, USA.

Alperovitz, Gar (1995) The Decision to use the Atomic Bomb. Harper Collins, London, UK.

Ham, Paul (2011) Hiroshima Nagasaki. Harper Collins, London, UK.

McNichols, Charles L and Carus, Clayton D. (1942) One Way to Cripple Japan: The Inflammable Cities of Osaka Bay. Harper's, June 1942, pp. 29-36. NY, USA.

Trimble, William F. & Lewis, David (1988) Lytle S. Adams, the Apostle of Nonstop Airmail Pickup. Technology and Culture, Vol. 29, No. 2 (Apr., 1988), pp. 247-265. The Johns Hopkins University Press, USA.

-------

For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com

Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories

The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories

Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9

Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast

Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories

& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/

Or you can contact us directly via email at [email protected]

or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf

The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye

Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017

Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  continue reading

216 episodes

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