Was the Tesla coil used as a weapon?

My newspaper reference was a joke...about missing WWIII...Here's a bit of a stretch, but gives the idea that it's being worked on...

For those who don't know about Tucson-based Ionatron, I first advise reading up on Tesla coils. Once you understand what a Tesla coil is, you'll be about halfway toward understanding Iontraon, a company that claims to have pioneered a weapon that will shoot lightning bolts (Noah has written some excellent posts on Ionatron here and, most recently, here). When newspapers talk about Ionatron, they usually start by talking about Buck Rogers guns or Star Trek phasers. I prefer to begin by talking about Tesla coils, which shoot sparks a few feet. Legions of would-be inventors, up to an including those in Ionatron, have dreamt of extending those sparks out to tens of meters, or even miles.

I took an hour out of my day to explain to this guy all the reasons why Ionatron, even if its technology pans out, was not likely to be equipping the Army with handheld lightning guns anytime soon. There were some basic practicalities. For example, ionizing the air to make the lightning bolt go at any great distance is really hard.

Read more: http://defensetech.org/2006/06/15/fringe-science-ill-take-vegas/#ixzz0rzgfWizC
Defense.org

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

Later in life, Tesla made remarkable claims concerning a "teleforce" weapon.[82] The press called it a "peace ray" or death ray.[83][84] In total, the components and methods included:[85][86]

An apparatus for producing manifestations of energy in free air instead of in a high vacuum as in the past. This, according to Tesla in 1934, was accomplished.
A mechanism for generating tremendous electrical force. This, according to Tesla, was also accomplished. A means of intensifying and amplifying the force developed by the second mechanism. A new method for producing a tremendous electrical repelling force. This would be the projector, or gun, of the invention.

Tesla worked on plans for a directed-energy weapon from the early 1900s until his death. In 1937, Tesla composed a treatise entitled "The Art of Projecting Concentrated Non-dispersive Energy through the Natural Media" concerning charged particle beams.[87] Tesla published the document in an attempt to expound on the technical description of a "superweapon that would put an end to all war". This treatise of the particle beam is currently in the Nikola Tesla Museum archive in Belgrade. It described an open ended vacuum tube with a gas jet seal that allowed particles to exit, a method of charging particles to millions of volts, and a method of creating and directing nondispersive particle streams (through electrostatic repulsion).[88]

His records indicate that it was based on a narrow stream of atomic clusters of liquid mercury or tungsten accelerated via high voltage (by means akin to his magnifying transformer). Tesla gave the following description concerning the particle gun's operation:

[The nozzle would] send concentrated beams of particles through the free air, of such tremendous energy that they will bring down a fleet of 10,000 enemy airplanes at a distance of 200 miles from a defending nation's border and will cause armies to drop dead in their tracks.[89]

The weapon could be used against ground based infantry or for antiaircraft purposes.[90] Tesla tried to interest the US War Department in the device.[91] He also offered this invention to European countries.[92] None of the governments purchased a contract to build the device. He was unable to act on his plans.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particle_beam_weapon#Tesla
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The Tesla Tower was a fully tested method of sending electricity through the air without the need of wires. JP Morgan was financing it, and when he asked Tesla how people would be charged for the electricity, Tesla replied they couldn't be. Morgan promptly withdrew his funding and the prototype was dismantled. Plans still exist and it did work, and would have avoided any need for pylons or undeground cables had it been allowed to continue.

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

There are any uses available for all power sources, for energy or attack depending on the customer.