Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Get the best shave of your life and save money with a Henson Razor. Go to hensonshaving.com/joescott to get a free 100 pack of blades with your purchase. Great for Father’s Day!
It sounds too crazy to be true, but at the beginning of World War 2, a crazy idea was hatched. What if we strapped bombs to bats? The idea is they would roost in attics and crawlspaces all over Tokyo and then set the whole city on fire. Believe it or not, this was tested for years, at the cost of millions before being shelved. But here’s the craziest bit… It could have worked.
Want to support the channel? Here's how:
Patreon: patreon.com/answerswithjoe
Channel Memberships: youtube.com/channel/UC-2YHgc363EdcusLIBbgxzg/join
T-Shirts & Merch: laughsmarter.com
Book of Mysteries: https://a.co/d/0gRx0qvM
Documentary: nebula.tv/oldestnewest
Check out my 2nd channel, Joe Scott TMI:
youtube.com/channel/UCqi721JsXlf0wq3Z_cNA_Ew
And my podcast channel, Conversations With Joe:
youtube.com/channel/UCJzc7TiJ2nnuyJkUpOZ8RKA
You can listen to my podcast, Conversations With Joe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Spotify 👉 spoti.fi/37iPGzF
Apple Podcasts 👉 apple.co/3j94kfq
Google Podcasts 👉 bit.ly/3qZCo1V
Follow me at all my places!
Instagram: instagram.com/answerswithjoe
TikTok: tiktok.com/@answerswithjoe
Facebook: facebook.com/answerswithjoe
Twitter: twitter.com/answerswithjoe
LINKS LINKS LINKS
airandspaceforces.com/article/1090bats
nps.gov/cave/blogs/the-bat-flight.htm
historycollection.com/this-wwii-plan-consisted-of-incinerating-japan-with-bats-bearing-tiny-bombs
youtube.com/watch?v=QHDO78QfLbE
smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bats-balloon-bombs-world-war-ii-180956203
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_mastiff_bat
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_mastiff_bat#/media/File:Eumops_perotis.jpeg
fws.gov/media/virginia-big-eared-bat-0
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_free-tailed_bat#/media/File:Mexican_free-tailed_bat_(8006856842).jpg
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Fieser#/media/File:Louis_Fieser.jpg
nps.gov/articles/batbombsandballoons.htm
taskandpurpose.com/history/bat-bombs-burned-base
defensemedianetwork.com/stories/brilliant-mistakes-the-bat-bomb
youtu.be/nAm_OPVeS4w?si=vqX-Tpdvy0e2Yb0o&t=151
britannica.com/event/Manhattan-Project
osti.gov/opennet/manhattan-project-history/Events/1945/trinity.htm
nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/atomic-bomb-hiroshima
https://lieber.westpoint.edu/military-animals-armed-conflict/
https://lowell.edu/astronomy-shakespeare-and-the-ides-of-march/
historyhit.com/animals-used-for-military-purposes
https://www.niwcpacific.navy.mil/About/Departments/Intelligence-Surveillance-and-Reconnaissance/Marine-Mammal-Program/
thetimes.com/comment/register/article/how-an-air-force-of-pigeons-did-their-bit-to-help-poor-tommy-survive-the-trenches-nnhx8x6kbs9
iwm.org.uk/history/15-animals-that-went-to-war
https://lieber.westpoint.edu/plea-animalizing-international-law-armed-conflict/
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Intro
1:15 - Meet Dr. Adams
3:00 - The Bat Plan
5:00 - Project X-Ray
10:20 - The Carlsbad AFB Incident
13:00 - Other Military Animals
15:30 - Sponsor - Henson Shaving
Get the best shave of your life and save money with a Henson Razor. Go to hensonshaving.com/joescott to get a free 100 pack of blades with your purchase. Great for Father’s Day!
It sounds too crazy to be true, but at the beginning of World War 2, a crazy idea was hatched. What if we strapped bombs to bats? The idea is they would roost in attics and crawlspaces all over Tokyo and then set the whole city on fire. Believe it or not, this was tested for years, at the cost of millions before being shelved. But here’s the craziest bit… It could have worked.
Want to support the channel? Here's how:
Patreon: patreon.com/answerswithjoe
Channel Memberships: youtube.com/channel/UC-2YHgc363EdcusLIBbgxzg/join
T-Shirts & Merch: laughsmarter.com
Book of Mysteries: https://a.co/d/0gRx0qvM
Documentary: nebula.tv/oldestnewest
Check out my 2nd channel, Joe Scott TMI:
youtube.com/channel/UCqi721JsXlf0wq3Z_cNA_Ew
And my podcast channel, Conversations With Joe:
youtube.com/channel/UCJzc7TiJ2nnuyJkUpOZ8RKA
You can listen to my podcast, Conversations With Joe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Spotify 👉 spoti.fi/37iPGzF
Apple Podcasts 👉 apple.co/3j94kfq
Google Podcasts 👉 bit.ly/3qZCo1V
Follow me at all my places!
Instagram: instagram.com/answerswithjoe
TikTok: tiktok.com/@answerswithjoe
Facebook: facebook.com/answerswithjoe
Twitter: twitter.com/answerswithjoe
LINKS LINKS LINKS
airandspaceforces.com/article/1090bats
nps.gov/cave/blogs/the-bat-flight.htm
historycollection.com/this-wwii-plan-consisted-of-incinerating-japan-with-bats-bearing-tiny-bombs
youtube.com/watch?v=QHDO78QfLbE
smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bats-balloon-bombs-world-war-ii-180956203
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_mastiff_bat
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_mastiff_bat#/media/File:Eumops_perotis.jpeg
fws.gov/media/virginia-big-eared-bat-0
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_free-tailed_bat#/media/File:Mexican_free-tailed_bat_(8006856842).jpg
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Fieser#/media/File:Louis_Fieser.jpg
nps.gov/articles/batbombsandballoons.htm
taskandpurpose.com/history/bat-bombs-burned-base
defensemedianetwork.com/stories/brilliant-mistakes-the-bat-bomb
youtu.be/nAm_OPVeS4w?si=vqX-Tpdvy0e2Yb0o&t=151
britannica.com/event/Manhattan-Project
osti.gov/opennet/manhattan-project-history/Events/1945/trinity.htm
nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/atomic-bomb-hiroshima
https://lieber.westpoint.edu/military-animals-armed-conflict/
https://lowell.edu/astronomy-shakespeare-and-the-ides-of-march/
historyhit.com/animals-used-for-military-purposes
https://www.niwcpacific.navy.mil/About/Departments/Intelligence-Surveillance-and-Reconnaissance/Marine-Mammal-Program/
thetimes.com/comment/register/article/how-an-air-force-of-pigeons-did-their-bit-to-help-poor-tommy-survive-the-trenches-nnhx8x6kbs9
iwm.org.uk/history/15-animals-that-went-to-war
https://lieber.westpoint.edu/plea-animalizing-international-law-armed-conflict/
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Intro
1:15 - Meet Dr. Adams
3:00 - The Bat Plan
5:00 - Project X-Ray
10:20 - The Carlsbad AFB Incident
13:00 - Other Military Animals
15:30 - Sponsor - Henson Shaving
