"The aim was to use D-IX to redefine the limits of human endurance."
The German during the Second World War again using drugs, stimulants and painkillers combined, the thought of course being to create a soldier impervious to pain and fatigue, able to sustain a frenetic pace for an extended period, well beyond the normal human physical and mental capability!!
From the wiki entry for the Biber midget submarine:
" Operations generally lasted from one to two days with pilots either using a drug known as DIX to stay awake on longer missions or caffeine-laced chocolate."
[chocolate of itself is a stimulant, containing in the natural state a measure of caffeine!]
D-IX however a stimulant, a DRUG even more of an enhancement than mere caffeine! Developed and used at the very end of the war - - a drug "cocktail" unmatched in potency!
D-IX was a cocaine-based experimental drug cocktail developed by the Nazis in 1944 for military application. Nazi doctors found that equipment-laden test subjects who had taken the drug could march 55 miles (88.5 kilometers) without resting before they collapsed. Each tablet contained 5 mg of Oxycodone . . . 5 mg of Cocaine and 3 mg of Methamphetamine . . . the war ended before D-IX could be put into mass production, though it did see limited use among a handful of Neger and Biber pilots." [both midget submarines!]
Oxycodone of course a very powerful pain killer, a drug with much potency and quite popular among "junkies" nowadays!!
"Prisoners at Sachsenhausen who were given the drug, code-named D-IX, were forced to march in circles carrying 20kg packs. They were able to march 55 miles without resting."
These prisoners too, concentration camp inmates were already in a reduced state both physically and mentally? Mr. Feelgood stuff that creates a persons of enhanced physical strength and mental awareness - - at least for a while. The tempo of modern warfare, mechanized, day and night, movement frenetic and endless for an extended period, beyond the capacity of the human body and mind to endure, some method needed to create the super-troop who can "keep up the pace" as demanded by the general officer in charge!!
The Nazi normally thought of as advocating the clean and sober natural life, enhancements eschewed and discouraged, even treated as a severe criminal offense unless during Octoberfest?
The war ended before D-IX could be brought to fruition and issued to the troops in abundance, but nonetheless the intent and desire was there!!
coolbert.
The German during the Second World War again using drugs, stimulants and painkillers combined, the thought of course being to create a soldier impervious to pain and fatigue, able to sustain a frenetic pace for an extended period, well beyond the normal human physical and mental capability!!
From the wiki entry for the Biber midget submarine:
" Operations generally lasted from one to two days with pilots either using a drug known as DIX to stay awake on longer missions or caffeine-laced chocolate."
[chocolate of itself is a stimulant, containing in the natural state a measure of caffeine!]
D-IX however a stimulant, a DRUG even more of an enhancement than mere caffeine! Developed and used at the very end of the war - - a drug "cocktail" unmatched in potency!
D-IX was a cocaine-based experimental drug cocktail developed by the Nazis in 1944 for military application. Nazi doctors found that equipment-laden test subjects who had taken the drug could march 55 miles (88.5 kilometers) without resting before they collapsed. Each tablet contained 5 mg of Oxycodone . . . 5 mg of Cocaine and 3 mg of Methamphetamine . . . the war ended before D-IX could be put into mass production, though it did see limited use among a handful of Neger and Biber pilots." [both midget submarines!]
Oxycodone of course a very powerful pain killer, a drug with much potency and quite popular among "junkies" nowadays!!
"Prisoners at Sachsenhausen who were given the drug, code-named D-IX, were forced to march in circles carrying 20kg packs. They were able to march 55 miles without resting."
These prisoners too, concentration camp inmates were already in a reduced state both physically and mentally? Mr. Feelgood stuff that creates a persons of enhanced physical strength and mental awareness - - at least for a while. The tempo of modern warfare, mechanized, day and night, movement frenetic and endless for an extended period, beyond the capacity of the human body and mind to endure, some method needed to create the super-troop who can "keep up the pace" as demanded by the general officer in charge!!
The Nazi normally thought of as advocating the clean and sober natural life, enhancements eschewed and discouraged, even treated as a severe criminal offense unless during Octoberfest?
The war ended before D-IX could be brought to fruition and issued to the troops in abundance, but nonetheless the intent and desire was there!!
coolbert.
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8 comments:
In the book DIME BOMB by J.Arthur the D-IX was used on soldiers in the Apartheid South African defence force
I have also heard that out in the Namib [?] desert after the end of apartheid was a camp of South African soldiers driven mad and heavily sedated due to a variety of duties that were performed as a part of the mission. About one to two hundred men total. Never heard anything further.
We were in Angola/SWA/Namibia as medical and the book is correct the cocktail of drugs given to the South African soldiers was enough to alter their characters and give them mental health problems for life.
I wrote the book Dime Bomb and am very thankful to the medic who confirmed this. We were certainly not the same after leaving the army and to this day my character is not anywhere near normal.
John Arthur
SADF ANGOLA SWA - Many of my ex soldiers from the SADF national service had strange side effects extreme anxiety, skin flushing and manic depression (bi-polar disorder). I am trying to put a number on it. Anyone else had the same thing please post?
How long exactly before these effects wore off.. And also how much do u estimate would it take to effect the individual hatefully
The mental health problems last forever and suicide is often a last resort. The troops would be very effective at hiding weaknesses which would be considered as cowardice by the PF (Permanent Force). Drink and drugs among ex-servicemen are a common way of self-medicating. The war memories and damage done by the medications that were secretly administered will never go away.
The worst effects of this drug coupled to the extreme training methods at places like Riemvasmaak, Namib, Kalahari etc created a desensitisation to life in general. Many ex servicemen from the operational area (border) found civvie life hard to adapt to. As a consequence marriages suffered, mental health problems are common and over excess of stimulants, alcohol prescription and non-prescription drugs. There is an unconfirmed link to project coast. We are all now reaching our sixties but the memories will always remain. Please relate your experiences anonymously if you wish.
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