Chemical warfare has a long history, dating back to ancient times. Chemical weapons have been used as an agent to try to leave as much devastation in it’s wake as possible. Today they are most commonly used by terrorists and political leaders as a means of forcing their ideals on to the peoples of their countries. Efficiency and precision are in the sights of today’s top militaries, leaving chemical warfare greatly frowned upon and unnecessary. Although not much is recorded on the early uses of chemical warfare, It is noted that chemical warfare has been used as far back as 4th Century BC by the Indians who dipped their arrows in snake venom. This caused the opponent to become poisoned and eventually lead to their death. In the 5th Century BC during the Siege of Plataea the …show more content…
(2008, August 1). James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS). Retrieved November 1, 2013, from http://cns.miis.edu/ Cowell, A. (2013). Chemical Weapons Watchdog Wins Nobel Peace Prize. New York Times, 1. Retrieved November 1, 2013, from http://www.nytimes.com Garrett, B. C., & Hart, J. (2009). The A to Z of nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press. Hammond, S. (n.d.). History: Agent Orange/Dioxin in Vietnam. War Legacies Project. Retrieved November 8, 2013, from http://www.warlegacies.org/ Hanley, S. (2006, December 14). Timeline of Chemical Warfare in WWI. University of San Diego Home Pages. Retrieved November 8, 2013, from http://home.sandiego.edu/ Hersh, S. M. (1968). Chemical and biological warfare; America's hidden arsenal,. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill. Kleber, B. E., & Birdsell, D. (1966). The Chemical Warfare Service: chemicals in combat. Washington, D.C: Office of the Chief of Military History, United States Army : For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O. Rose, S. P., & Pavett, D. (19691968). CBW: chemical and biological warfare. Boston: Beacon
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B”Heller, C.E (1984). Leavenworth papers No 10. Chemical warfare in world war I. Combat studies institute”.
Trueman, Chris. "Chemical Warfare and World War Two." Chemical Warfare and World War Two. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2013. .
This paper is about what chemical agent being employed during the attack of Yichang during the Sin-Japanese war in 1940 and which side of the conflict or both would employ it. What type of agent that was used if any? Employment methods used to disperse the chemical agent in wartime. Finally, I examined situations in which the agent would be employed by military forces to gain maximum effectiveness. A brief description of Unit 731, its commander, and a bit about what the kinds has been explained. Next key point is a brief summary of the actual war previous to the incident usage, and the attack itself. The war is followed by research on the chemical actually used during the course of the paper a slight background of the war and. Next explained is the main battle where the chemical was found to be employed. Afterwards the chemical mustard gas is detailed in prosperities and symptoms.
Wright III, B. (1998, November). The Chemical Warfare Service Prepares for World War II. Retrieved from http://www.almc.army.mil/alog/issues/NovDec98/MS274.htm
23 April 1915 British troops were attacked with chlorine gas, and Sir John French, the British Commander-in-Chief wanted retaliation with the same effects that was dealt to his troops, and he also wanted the means to defend his troop against these attacks, which lead to the establishment of Porton Down. 10 July 1915 the British used chlorine gas against the Germans, after the attacks the British realized that the chlorine delivery method was inconsistent, the gas had a small radius of cover, the chlorine had a smell so it could be detected early without inhaling a large amount, and the gas also didn’t stay on the ground very long, so further research went into the development of chemical weapons. The first experiment was done with hydrogen sulphide; the British tested the gas by placing rats in cages in trenches, and had mine workers with self contained breathing apparatus collect clouds of the gas in jars as the gas passed over them. The testing of hydrogen sulphide were successful, it showed that the gas had lethal concentration at 300 yards from the point of release. Hydrogen sulphide was short lived, it was discovered that it’s was too dangerously flammable, and it corrodes the cylinders that it’s stored in, it was also to light to stay near the ground after release, and possessed a distinctive smell at very low concentration which is an early warning to the enemy. At 05:50 AM 2...
The purpose of this essay is to deal with the fact that chemical warfare should be brought back to modern warfare strategies. As Warren Rudman said, “And they will tell you unequivocally that if we have a chemical or biological attack or a nuclear attack anywhere in this country, they are unprepared to deal with it today, and that is of high urgency.” Rudman’s words are true in what they say and that we should do everything to counter-act his statement. Biological weapons are a key to outstanding success in war and therefore, I strongly suggest that chemical warfare is an effective and producible weapon tactic that can be used on today’s battlefield.
Lyell, Lord. "CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS:THE POOR MAN'S BOMB." North Atlantic Assembly AN 255 STC(96) 10. North Atlantic Assembly, 04 Oct. 1996. Web. 26 May 2014.
Pita, R. (2009). Toxin weapons: From World War I to jihadi terrorism. Toxin Reviews, 28(4), 219-237. doi:10.3109/1556950903246136
Fries, A. A., & West, C. J. (1921). Chemical warfare,. New York [etc.: McGraw-Hill book company, inc..
Poison gas was perhaps the most feared weapon out of all. Created to overcome the long stalemate style of trench warfare, its purpose was to draw out soldiers hiding in the trenches. One side would throw the poison gas into the enemy trenches and they would either wait for their enemy to come out into open fire or perish in the trenches. The first poison gas used in battle was chlorine at the start of the Second Battle of Ypres on April 22, 1915 by the Germans. Shortly after, followed the phosgene. The effects of these gases were ghastly. Chlorine was the most deadly as "within seconds of inhaling its vapor, it destroys the victim's respiratory organs, bringing on choking attacks" (Duffy). Phosgene had similar effects, except the fact that the effects started kicking in after 48 hours of inhalation. In September 1917, the Germans introduced the mustard gas or Yperite which was contained in artillery shells against the Russians at Riga. Those exposed t...
To begin, during World War one Germans first developed poisonous gas and brought them into war by 1915. Chlorine was the first gas brought into trench warfare as a grenade-like projectile. In the beginning of poisonous gas usage, soldiers didn’t know that the poisonous gas existed so the gas cloud unknowingly forming put soldiers into fear and would cause a few casualties. Soon after, France developed phosgene gases that is 18 times more powerful than chlorine gas. In the first appearance of phosgene gas, which was at Ypres, soldiers would get blinded. Germans further developed another gas, mustard gas. Mustard gas was the most brutal and more developed. It was produced in 75 or 105 shells rather than the regular grenade-like projectiles. Mustard gas caused painful blisters internally and externally, burns skin and more. The introduction to mustard gas brought the most disabled soldiers, deaths, terror and overall brought emotional and physical pain to those affected.
“Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare.” Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare. Geneva: n.p., 1925. Un.org. United Nations. Web. 21 May 2013.
The use of chemicals in weapons dates back thousands of years, from poison arrows to poisonous fumes. However chemical warfare took a new approach during World War I. The first large scale attack was chlorine in april 1915. World War II brought on a entire new spectrum of chemical weapons and many countries obtained large stockpiles.1There are four different categories in which chemical weapons are organized based on what the effects are. The first category is blister agents which cause blistering of the skin. The second category is choking agents which cause the airway passages in the victim's throat to close resulting in death. The third category is nerve agents which causes damages to the victims nerves. The most recent uses of chemical weapons was on august 21, 2013 in Damascus ,Syria which resulted in numerous casualties.2
Pita, R. (2009). Toxin weapons: From World War I to jihadi terrorism. Toxin Reviews, 28(4), 219-237. doi:10.3109/1556950903246136