Hair-brained Schemes for Winning World War II
Unconventional Tactics
During World War II, Great Britain's best and brightest research scientists were tasked with devising ingenious strategies to cripple the enemy, minimize casualties, and secure victory against Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. They frequently found themselves fielding suggestions from unexpected sources – “experts,” journalists, and the public – each with his own hair-brained scheme to eliminate Hitler, Mussolini, and their regimes. Surprisingly, even the most outlandish ideas received attention.
One outrageous proposal aimed at Mount Vesuvius, Europe's lone active volcano, situated southeast of Naples, Italy. Over the centuries, it has erupted sporadically, devastating nearby towns with the most recent catastrophe prior to the war occurring in 1906. Proposals poured in from Australia, South Africa, and the United States, advocating for Allied air forces to drop tons of explosives into Vesuvius causing it to "explode Southern Italy."
Other contributors suggested ideas to halt enemy advances that including dropping tons of molasses from British bombers to ensnare troops, followed by coils of barbed wire to ensnare them if necessary. A citizen from Durban suggested an aerial release of venomous African vipers over German cities, while another proposed saturating cabbage leaves with lethal poison and dropping them on enemy farmland where cattle would eat them. The idea being to induce famine.
Among the suggestions for the Royal Air Force, one envisioned fighter planes feigning retreat and then emitting a cloud of chloroform gas which would incapacitate pursuing German pilots causing them to crash. Another bizarre idea involved fitting aircraft with razor-sharp knives to sever parachute cords of enemy airmen who had bailed out of their aircraft.
Perhaps the most eccentric proposal came from a contributor who, at the end of his spiel, boldly predicted Allied victory 14:30 hours on May 4th, 1945, a mere 72 hours off from the actual German surrender. Though seemingly ridiculous, these unconventional tactics underscore the creative spirit and determination to win the ultimate victory by any means necessary.
References
Breuer, William B. Secret Weapons of World War II. Castle Books, Hoboken, New Jersey, 2005.