The History of Chemical Weapons - Part 1
|
|
World War I
During World War I, the first chemical agent to be used was large amounts of chlorine gas. This attack occurred on 22nd April 1915, near the Belgian village of Ypres. The gas was released into the wind by the Germans against the Allies, over 5,000 allied troops died in that attack. The large amounts of gas released the chlorine caused large amounts of yellowish fluid to form in the lungs of its victim. This horrific attack caused eye, nose, and throat burning before causing death by choking.
This was not the only chemical weapons attack during World War I. Both the British and German forces used chorine gas, mustard gas, and phosgene heavily before the war ended. Overall about 113,000 tons of chemical weapons were used in World War I killing around 92,000 and a total of 1.3 million casualties.
The Geneva Protocol
In 1925 the Geneva Protocol was signed by the league of nations (at the initial signing 38 nations signed) and has since been signed by over 130 nations. Protocol for the prohibition of the use in war of asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases, and of bacteriological methods of warfare. Unfortunately, the protocol is vague and has no provisions for the punishments of countries. Also it didn't prohibit the manufacturing and stockpiling of these weapons.
World War II
Thankfully during World War II no chemical weapons were used in battle but large amounts of a new chemical weapons developed by the Germans were discovered. These new chemical weapons were known as nerve agents.. These included sarin, soman and tabun, all of which were developed in the thirties and early forties. The exception being Germany using a cyanide-based gas to massacre Jewish civilians in concentration camps. 'This image was copied from www.world war1.com without permission'