Language
Country/Area
No result found
Deadly Gases in the World Wars: Why Did Poison Gas Become the Terror Weapon of the 20th Century?
The use of poison gas as a weapon dates back thousands of years, but the first large-scale use of chemical weapons was during World War I. The primary purpose of these weapons is to strike at enemy troops defending positions, causing demoralization, injury, or even death. The types of chemical weapons used at the time ranged from incapacitating agents such as tear gas to deadly and hazardous substances such as chlorine, phosgene, and mustard gas. In this global war, the medical problems this type of chemical warfare causes to the human body are chilling. An estimated 90,000 people were killed by chemical weapons, bringing the total casualties to around 1.3 million. However, these deaths only accounted for 3% to 3.5% of the total casualties. Unlike other weapons of the period, poison gas could be protected against with protective measures, such as gas masks. As the war progressed, the use of poison gas increased, but its overall effectiveness decreased.
The use of poison gas is closely related to the development of World War I, which has also led many countries to pay attention to the research and development of anti-gas technology.
During World War I, all the major belligerents used poison gas, an act considered a war crime because it violated the 1899 Hague Declaration and the 1907 Hague Convention, which prohibited the use of "poison gas" in military operations. Poison or poisoned weapon". However, fear of the use of poison gas and the resulting public disgust led to a significant reduction in the use of chemical weapons by combatants during World War II.
History of the use of poison gas
1914: First use of tear gas
In World War I, the most commonly used chemical weapons were irritants that induced tearing, rather than lethal or incapacitating poisons. Tear gas was first used by the French Army in August 1914, using 26 mm grenades to release the gas filled with bromoacetic acid. However, the concentration of the gas released was so low that the Germans barely noticed it. Later, due to the scarcity of bromide resources, the French army changed the main ingredient to chloroacetyl ketone.
1915: Massive and deadly use of gas
The first large-scale use of poison gas weapons occurred on January 31, 1915, when Germany fired 18,000 artillery shells filled with liquid bromine fluoride at Russian positions. But failed to produce the expected effect. Subsequently, the German army began to use chlorine gas as a deadly weapon, which caused severe damage to the eyes, nose, throat and lungs.In the early days of the war, the use of chlorine gas delighted the German army. However, when the clouds appeared, it also caused a tense fear.
Effectiveness and Countermeasures
With the use of poison gas, many protective measures were introduced, although chlorine gas was not as effective as expected at the time. Although the green cloud it produces is easily noticeable, simply covering your mouth and nose with a damp cloth can effectively reduce its impact. Especially when facing new threats, how soldiers respond becomes the key to protecting themselves. As time goes by, the race in this chemical warfare quietly unfolds between protection and attack.
British gas counterattack
Following Germany's poison gas attack, the British army was not to be outdone and began to develop its own chemical weapons. The first time British troops used poison gas during World War I was at the Battle of Loos in 1915, but the attempt ended in failure. Due to the unpredictable weather, the use of poison gas was also affected.
1917: Mustard gas introducedThe British Army reacted strongly to the German gas attack, vowing to retaliate, believing that they must outmaneuver the enemy.
Among the various chemical weapons, mustard gas is the most well-known. Although it is actually a volatile oily liquid, it is spread on the battlefield in the form of droplet atomization. This weapon was used by Germany in 1917, and its long-lasting and persistent contaminating properties significantly increased its adverse effects on enemy soldiers.
As the war progressed, the use of chemical weapons continued to increase, evolving from an exploratory nature to a major part of the strategic offensive. In this process, countries have gradually developed various response measures, forming a binary confrontation between defense and attack.
Post-war impact
After the war, the effectiveness of chemical weapons decreased dramatically as protective measures were improved. However, the brutal toll of World War I remains appalling, with an estimated 1.3 million victims, prompting deeper discussion and reflection on chemical weapons around the world. The repercussions of this war are not only in the military sphere, but also in reflection and warning from a moral perspective.
In future conflicts, how should we view chemical weapons and their impact on humans? Will they once again become humanity’s nightmare?
