Ancient history

"Weapon of excrement" against the Germans... The crazy plan of WWII

During a war all kinds of services, technicians, scientists on both sides look for ways to physically, materially or morally harm the adversaries.

In this context the predecessor of the CIA, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) commissioned two scientists to create a "perfume" that would be sprayed on German officers in occupied Europewith the aim of humiliating them and demoralize.

The "perfume" was codenamed "Who Me?" . Private Ernst Crocker was one of 1,700 working for the US Army. Their work involved making both lethal and non-lethal chemicals. Crocker in 1943 was recruited by the OSS to create a "stink bomb" to be used against the enemy.

Crocker managed to create a "perfume" based on the smell of human excrement, enhanced with certain chemicals. The "perfume" would be placed in small atomizers, glass ampoules or small tubes with which members of the resistance would spray, spray unsuspecting German officers, or break the ampoules next to them, preferably on the street.

Crocker also created a corresponding "perfume" against the Japanese with a different chemical composition. Only 600 units of 'Who Me?' were test produced. Sources differ on whether and to what extent this "scented" secret weapon was used.

It seems that the "weapon" was never used as it was not ready for production until November 1944, when the Germans had already given up most of their at least temporary conquests and something more effective was being prepared for the Japanese, the atomic bomb. strong>