Sonic Cannon.

This is coolbert:

“Luckily, we were able to turn it off quickly. All of us were sick for hours. Everything in us was vibrating: stomach, heart, lungs. All the people in the other laboratories were sick too."

Here is the full and complete dope on the French sonic cannon. A "defensive" weapon developed in the era immediately after the end of World War Two [WW2]. A weapon that offered great promise, but never came into fruition. WAS TOO DEADLY AND UNCONTROLLABLE?!

I can very well recall reading about this either in the late 1950's or early 1960's. The French original research hit the light of day. This was a non-atomic alternative to the atomic bomb, but - - never went anywhere.

And today is enjoying a comeback as a riot control agent? A weapon that induces vomiting and nausea. A PUKE weapon??!!

Read the whole thing. Very well written:

"The Sonic Weapon of Vladimir Gavreau"

"While developing their own atomic device, France sought defensive tactical weaponry on every possible technological front. Short range weapons would best defend against a conventional national assault. But other systems were also sought; systems which, though non-nuclear, were equally invincible"

Right! The French had to find, in the aftermath of WW2, any sort of quick and dirty technological mass-destruction weapon that could be used as a counter to conventional or even nuclear attack by an aggressor. France during that period did not have the wealth or the know-how or the resources to develop atomic bombs, and alternatives have to be sought, however exotic and arcane.

Even researching, developing, engineering, and testing the sonic cannon was very dreadful in itself. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO ANYONE INVOLVED IN THE RESEARCH AND TESTING OF THE PROTOTYPES. THE BUILDING WITHIN WHICH THE ORIGINAL SONIC CANNON WAS HOUSED WAS NEARLY SHAKEN APART DURING EXPERIMENTAL TESTING!!

YOU MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN KILLED JUST TESTING THE DAMN THING!!

"Next came the pain, dull infrasonic pressure against the eyes and ears. Then came a frightening manifestation on the material supports of the device itself. With sustained operation of the pipe, a sudden rumble rocked the area, nearly destroying the test building. Every pillar and joint of the massive structure bolted and moved. One of the technicians managed to ignore the pain enough to shut down the power supply."

The sonic cannon of the period was too uncontrollable, an all-pervasive and all-destructive weapon not discriminative enough?

Well, so was the atomic bomb in 1945!

The sonic cannon with modern technology will enjoy a comeback of sorts?

How is it you Frenchmen say - - c'est la guerre!!

coolbert.