The Great Secret: The Classified World War II Disaster that Launched the War on Cancer is the amazing story of an accidental discovery that has undoubtedly resulted in a multitude of lives saved. It is the gripping story of a chemical weapons catastrophe, the cover-up, and how one American Army doctor’s discovery led to the development of the first drug to combat cancer, known today as chemotherapy. In an attempt to skirt the international ban on the use of chemical weapons an American merchant ship carrying a top-secret shipment of nitrogen mustard gas shells slips into the port city of Bari mere months after Italy’s surrender to the Allied forces. Despite the ship’s highly explosive cargo, its captain is told to berth in the overcrowded harbor and await his turn in the unloading queue, a wait that extends for five days. And despite Bari being a mere 150 miles from the German front lines, the Allies are so convinced of their air supremacy that they don’t even bother putting up a fighter screen to guard the port; to the contrary, to facilitate round-the-clock unloading operations, authorities have dispensed with the usual blackout rules, so that on the night of Dec. 2, 1943, the place is lit up like a Christmas tree. Oh, and the one telephone linked to air command that might alert fighters that a great

When one young sailor after another began suddenly dying of mysterious symptoms, Lieutenant Colonel Stewart Alexander, a doctor and chemical weapons expert, was dispatched to investigate. He quickly diagnosed mustard gas exposure, but was overruled by British officials determined to cover up the presence of poison gas in the devastating naval disaster, which the press dubbed "little Pearl Harbor." Prime Minister Winston Churchill and General Dwight D. Eisenhower acted in concert to suppress the truth, insisting the censorship was necessitated by military security. Alexander defied British port officials and heroically persevered in his investigation. His final report on the Bari casualties was immediately classified, but not before his breakthrough observations about the toxic effects of mustard on white blood cells caught the attention of Colonel Cornelius P. Rhoads—a pioneering physician and research scientist as brilliant as he was arrogant and self-destructive—who recognized that the poison was both a killer and a cure, and ushered in a new era of cancer research led by the Sloan Kettering Institute. Meanwhile, the Bari incident remained cloaked in military secrecy, resulting in lost records, misinformation, and considerable confusion about how a deadly chemical weapon came to be tamed for medical use.

This is a potent and fascinating mix between a catastrophic failure of the Allies to protect Bari port from German attack, a chemical weapons disaster and the cover-up that followed. Reading very much like a fictional political thriller, WWII enthusiast Conant shines a light on a little known and much-misunderstood part of the war. Well researched, riveting and extensively detailed from start to finish, The Great Secret is the definitive guide to our accidental discovery of chemotherapy as a cancer treatment told with pep and precision. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Grove for an ARC.

This is a fascinating look at the use of chemical weapons and of their use in chemotherapy. It begins on the 2nd December, 1943, when the US ship ‘John Harvey,’ was bombed in Bari, on Italy’s Adriatic coast. The attack was called, ‘a little Pearl Harbor,’ and the incident was covered up, so as not to endanger preparations for the Allied invasion of France, which was planned for the following Spring.

Shortly after this attack, Lieutenant Col Stewart Francis Alexander, trained in chemical warfare, is asked to go to Bari. After the bombing, there is a medical situation – men are dying of unexplained causes. The fear is that the Germans are using a new poison gas, which brings back fear of mustard gas poisonings in WWI. Alexander sets out, but his initial diagnosis leaves Churchill unimpressed. Although he is upset that his findings have been dismissed; Alexander goes back to his observations and discovers something which could be used to help control leukaemia. However, medical research will not always be welcomed in wartime, when priorities and the need for secrecy are great…

This is a really enthralling read, which is well written and is engaging, with the science easy to follow. I think it is a fascinating look at the way tragic wartime events played a huge part in medical and scientific advances. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

This book documents the intimate development of chemotherapy from a WW2 wartime incident.
In an air raid a toxic mixture of chemicals, oil and mustard gas shells were spread across an Italian harbour occupied by the allies.
The book follows one young doctors's obsession with some good coming from his many observations and meticulous record-keeping. His subsequent influence on others led to centres of excellence being developed and treatment for some cancers.
A well written documentation of medical progress brought about by wartime disaster.

This factual account of the tragedy of the Luftwaffe air raid on Bari in 1943 that eventually led to numerous cures for cancer to evolve from it, involved painstaking research by the author to deliver an enthralling tale. The string of mistakes made from the ill-preparedness of the Allies to the threat of air attack by assuming they had achieved air superiority, to the imposition of a veil of secrecy over the existence of mustard gas bombs on board one of the cargo ships in Bari harbour, led to inaction in allowing the medical staff to treat the many wounded victims of the air raid. It is accepted that failures in communications in wartime can cause fatalities however in this case, the perceived need for secrecy was seen to override the need to inform the hospitals in a timely manner. It was only the suspicions of Lt Col Alexander – a chemical warfare specialist - that led to the belated treatment being applied, unfortunately too late for many victims.
The continuing cloak of secrecy lasting for many years, was an interesting insight into the thinking of the allied leaders, especially the British and particularly Winston Churchill, who either did not want to admit the presence of the mustard gas munitions or denied that fact entirely. The subsequent handling of the almost accidental discovery and evolutionary scientific development of cures for cancer is fascinating. The strong and sometimes arrogant personalities involved probably delayed some of the research, but more levelheaded experts eventually achieved their goal that we can see today. It is ironic that there is one cancer medication in use today that is directly descended from the chemical weapon mustard gas.
A very good read.

How a classified disaster in the 2nd World War, lead discovery, and beginning of the Chemotherapy War on Cancer. Is a strong premise of a book. It piqued my interest immediately.

I was interested to read about the highly secretive and controversial development of Chemical weapons during the war. How did it all come about, and what actually happened in secret. The standard history texts tell us Chemical Weapons were not used at all during the War. They were not involved. Wrong. Completely fascinating to read the actual plans and attitudes of the Allies. Great background to the subject to come.

The bombing of Bari, lead to an unprecedented release of Chemical agent. Hundreds affected by mysterious symptoms. Had it came from the Nazi's as part of a massive escalation? What agent was used, as it didn't match the effects of know agents? A Chemical Weapons expert is sent to investigate. A detailed account of Stuart Alexander's carrier and background is given and then the book follows his investigation and battle to discover the truth to allow correct treatment of the victims. Almost of the start, the veil of secrecy prevented potential life-saving information from being shared with medics. Only Stuart's determination lead to the truth being discovered.

Alexander noted some unusual effects of the agent, that he believed could be used to treated cancers. His documentation and attention to detail meant that something positive could come out of this waste of human life. His determination to share the information ensured that it did not ultimately remain classified.

The book then details the being of the war on cancer, via the use of Chemotherapy. It covers the early experiments based on Alexander's results When Chemotherpaty was not mainstream medicine to its inclusion in Oncology and Modern medicine.

The book works on so many levels. It is fascinating from page one to the very last page. It remains very readable and provides important background details, enough to take you on a real journey. It brings the subject matter to life. A factual book that is a page-turner, and something that is so accessible. This book needs to be read. One of the best factual book this year and for many years. A full five stars.

I was provided with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

I really struggled to "get in to" and complete this book. This is not the authors fault, but I think down to my attention span. I know readers who will really enjoy this and discussed it with one friend in particular. I think its a really interesting story and a fascinating history.

I came into this having read the blurb thinking it would be straight on with the ideas behind the history and chemistry of Chemotherapy from the opening. I'd picked it as I had been a big fan of the Emperor Of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee, which gave a solid chunk to the development of chemotherapy, but as part of a broader conversation. However its about halfway into the book before chemotherapy is really discussed, beyond a few sidebars of the effects of mustard gas, because the first half of this book is military history. Military history with medical detection, namely after the Battle Of Bari in World War II, a large number of sioldiers succumb to similar deadly symptoms and die. Dr Stewart Alexander, a doctor in the Chemical Weapons development part of the army is sent to investigate. What he discovers latterly becomes the basis of chemotherapy, The Great Secret is partially about giving this doctor his due in discovering it after his work was classified.

To get there Conant has to explain the Allies position on chemical and biological weapons, the theatre of war in Italy, the relationships between the allies and secrecy between them not to mention the fractious and petty behaviour of other officers when they haven't been let in on the secret (woe betide you travel on a ship with sealed orders). Add to this an in depth (hagiographic perhaps) view of Dr Alexander and his future wife Bunny Wilbur - a formidable Army Nurse who on this showing deserves a biography of her own. The medical mystery is presented in fine detail, and the solution and outcome (basically Alexander and loads of victims are fucked over by Churchill) a little depressing. But by the time you have breathlessly gotten through that you finally get on to chemotherapy.

When you get to chemo, the book oddly loses a little focus. There is a lot to talk about, and a lot of it chemical, and a lot of it is unsuccessful. Indeed the book itself is pretty neutral on the cost benefit of chemo in a lot of places, I wonder whether its chemical weapon origin lingers strongly - not hard when you read symptoms earlier on. Conant's real hero is Alexander, not chemo, and the character who takes over the baton in the second half of the book is a lot more complex ("Dusty" Rhodes - director of the research programme who also has a pretty unacceptable flirt with racism in his career which the book deals with extremely openly and well).

What is left is one of those idiosyncratic non-fiction pieces which take their own time, and route to tell one story, by telling two or three absolutely fascinating other ones. And is willing to look cold eyed at chemical weapons, social injustice and the scientific method with enough judgement to make you feel that anyone involved would have to say they had been treated fairly. A really pleasant surprise.

(Review as a Netgalley ARC)