SpyTHINK 017: Biological Assassination: 1929; WW1 Reality Evokes Wonder Woman Fantasy

Bauer's chemical agent attacks in real-life WW1 were proposed in Goldfinger as a Way to Knock-Out all the Soldiers Guarding Fort Knox's Gold--is our Base/Post Security Any Better Today? 

One can't help thinking of the last Wonder Woman movie set in WW1 where our heroes are fighting an evil German chemical warfare plot involving General Ludendorff and not ponder the REAL-LIFE evil genius--his friend; Colonel Max Bauer. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Bauer

Before the war, he had worked with the chemist Fritz Haber to transform nitrogen from the air into explosive precursors, which let the Germans make war despite the Naval blockade of Germany preventing continued imports of supplies of nitrates that had come from Chile before the war. When the adversaries deadlocked in their trenches along the Western Front, Haber suggested that they could break through by releasing a cloud of poisonous chlorine gas, which is heavier than air.[2] Bauer provided funds and scientists already in the army. Bauer, Haber and Duisberg, the head of the chemical cartel, and their horses were poisoned at the first field test; all were invalided for days. He was present at the first attack, which cleared the defenders out of miles of trenches defending the city of Ypres, but was "heartbroken" because Supreme Commander Erich von Falkenhayn had mounted only a diversionary attack, divulging their top-secret for almost no gain.[3] Bauer continued to support the development of new gases, tactics to use them effectively despite protective masks, and Haber's mobilization of scientists for the war effort.

Section II of OHL Supreme Army Command carefully evaluated how their weapons performed on active service. For instance, in 1916 they produced a modified field gun that could be elevated to 40 degrees, compared to its former 16 degrees, and their light howitzer's range was increased 43 percent to 10,000 m (11,000 yd).[4] They formed a unit to develop assault tactics using stormtroopers. Their first tank, introduced in May 1917, was too large and unwieldy, few were produced, so they had to use captured enemy tanks. Krupp and Daimler designed a light tank, but production was not authorized until French light tanks showed their value, consequently they could not be available until April 1919.[5][6]

Swedish M21 Light Tank

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LK_II

The Leichter Kampfwagen II ("light combat car") or LK II was a German light tank prototype of World War I. A development of the LK I, it incorporated a fixed rear superstructure and was armed with a 37mm Krupp or 57mm Maxim-Nordenfelt gun. Its armor was 8 to 14 mm thick, which increased total weight to 8.75 tons. Power was provided by a Daimler-Benz Model 1910 4-cylinder 55-60 hp gasoline engine, giving a maximum speed of 14 to 18 km/h with range of 65–70 km.

A version armed with one or two 7.92 mm MG 08/15 machine guns was also planned but progressed no farther than a project.

Only two prototypes were produced by June 1918, and were followed by orders for 580 tanks, which were never completed.

Stridsvagn m/21-29

Stridsvagn m/21-29
A Swedish m/21 tank.
Type	Light Tank
Place of origin	Sweden
Service history
In service	1922-1939
Used by	Sweden
Production history
Designer	AB Landsverk
Manufacturer	AB Landsverk / NOHAB
No. built	10
Specifications
Mass	9.7 short tons (8.8 t; 8.7 long tons)
Length	5.7 m (19 ft)
Width	2.05 m (6 ft 9 in)
Height	2.52 m (8 ft 3 in)
Crew	4
Armor	4-14 mm
Main armament	2x ksp m/14 (Stridsvagn m/21), 2x ksp m/14-29 (Stridsvagn m/21/29)
Engine	Benz 1910 (Stridsvagn m/21), Scania 1554 (Stridsvagn m/21-29) 55 hp, 85 hp
Maximum speed	16 to 18 km/h (9.9 to 11.2 mph)

Following the war, the Swedish government purchased parts for 10 examples in secrecy for 200,000 Swedish kronor. The parts were shipped under the pretence of being boiler plates and agricultural equipment and then assembled in Sweden as theStridsvagn m/21 (Strv m/21 for short), which was essentially an improved version of the LK II prototype. The Strv m/21 was powered by a sleeve valve engine located in the front, the driver and crew being in the rear. The suspension and running gear was protected by armored skirts. Ten of these tanks were built, their armament a single 6.5 mm (0.26 in) machine gun.^[1]

In 1929, five were rebuilt to create the Strv m/21-29 variant which was armed with a 37mm gun or two machine guns and was powered by a Scania-Vabis engine. The Strv m/21-29 was an upgraded version of the fm/21. The modifications included a more powerful engine, a new alternator, and external lighting.^[2] One of these improved vehicles was driven by Heinz Guderian during a visit to Sweden in 1929.

The Germans later bought a main share of the Landsverk Company and made Otto Merker the main designer and in 1931, it produced the Strv m/31 (L-10), which was the first tank produced in Sweden.

The Strv m/21-29 remained in service until 1938. A surviving example can be seen at the Deutsches Panzermuseum at Munster, Germany, and both strv m/21 and strv m/21-29 was displayed at the Axvall Tank Museum in Sweden.

One Strv m/21-29 is in the early stages of being restored to full working order in Sweden. As of 2018, the tank has been restored to running condition, and is now on display at the Pansarmuseet i Axvall.^[3]

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Bauer strongly opposed Falkenhayn's plan to attack Verdun in 1916 along a narrow front on the right bank of the Meuse, because their flank would be vulnerable to French artillery on the left bank—he was spot-on; before long they had to attack the left bank as well. While arranging artillery support before the attack he stayed at Fifth Army headquarters where he became a fast friend of its commander, Crown Prince Wilhelm; they kept in touch thereafter. In the first salvo of the attack a 42 cm shell struck Fort Douaumont, a key to the defense.[7] It did not penetrate the reinforced concrete and sand layers: the Verdun forts were stouter than any the mortars had fired on hitherto. Later that year Bauer was dismayed by Falkenhayn's insistence along the Somme front on packing infantry into the foremost trenches to repel the attacks, where they were chewed-up by the Entente's artillery preparations. Bauer decided that Falkenhayn must be replaced by his friend Ludendorff, who had displayed virtuosity on the Eastern Front. Supported by junior officers at OHL he tirelessly lobbied the highest echelons of the army and government against his superior, with criticisms of Falkenhayn like "...his decisions were half measures and he wavered even over these."[8] Falkenhayn was replaced on 29 August 1916 by Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg as Chief of Staff with First Quartermaster General Ludendorff as his associate. To Bauer this was his greatest victory.

Lieutenant General von Höhn's draft of a manual describing defense-in-depth was rewritten by Bauer and Captain Geyer.[10] The crux was that any attackers who penetrated a lightly manned front line would be destroyed by counterattacks. Defense-in-depth became German Army doctrine through the Second World War.

[German Army officer, retired Colonel] Max Bauer died in Shanghai, of smallpox, on 6 May 1929, perhaps as a result of having been intentionally infected by one of his Chinese enemies, as he was the only person infected with the contagious disease in the region where he contracted it. He was buried in China with military honors. His ashes were later returned to Germany and buried at Swinemünde on 5 August 1929.[21]

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SEALs with 3D Night Vision Goggles (NVGs): America's Naval Stormtroopers

James Bond is REAL.