The Ill Effects Of Modern Warfare

Poison Gas/Chemical Warfare usage, while not harming physical structures preventing the collateral damage of homes and buildings, causes a high casualty rate in all living things. It is indescriminate and robs life equally be they related or not to a target of military or strategic importance. Gas usage has been widely considered uncivilized, but the French resorted to its usage in August, 1914 during the first World War in an attempt to rout the Germans. Unfortunately, the Germans were the first to give gas warfare serious development and it became used extensively before the war was over. On the battlefield it prooved effective in eliminating hostile threats in an inhumane way, but this does not make it morally acceptable. In more recent times ISIS has been reported to using Poison Gas in Syria against both military and civilians in an indescriminate manner. This sort of attack ignores international laws as well as inhumanely cause widespread harm. In this day and age, this sort of attack is unnecessary and is why it was outlawed in the first place even back during the first World War.

War is something that can change the very principles of a person, it can change a person and leave multiple effects that can last for their entire life. The sniper is fighting in a civil war where friends and family can turn into enemies at a moment's notice. The fight is between the Republicans and the Free Staters, the protagonist is a sniper for the Republicans. Throughout the story, we go into the state of mind of the main character and learn some ramifications that he gained in the war. The text, “The Sniper” by Liam O’Flaherty shows us the physical and psychological results of war, that happens to people.

We have all seen or read about the political and social upheavals caused by war. Some may have even experienced it first-hand. Throughout history war has had negative psychological implications on those effected. However, there is no greater negative impact of war than the psychological and emotional turmoil that it causes individual soldiers.

Chemical warfare, while horrible, proved to be unwieldy and unpredictable, and relatively easy to counter. After some limited successes against unprepared opponents, the use of chemical gas had very little tactical benefit; the recognition of this limited utility is that after widespread use in 1915 - except for the short-lived effects of the introduction of mustard gas in 1917 - gas was abandoned by both sides as an effective tactic.

Frist of all, in the Second Battle of Ypres, the Germans introduced the first use of poisonous gas. When poison gas first introduced it was a popular weapon choice and would be the weapon to change the outcome of the war. The Germans surprisingly attack the Allies, where the used lethal chloride gas against them. The gas was deadly and killed over one thousand soldiers. (1) It also allowed a significant advanced for the Germans in the war. The gas usage continued to grow throughout the war. In the end, many Allied countries started chemical weapons research. Gas warfare became common but effective actions were used to protect the troops. After World War 1, poison was use for a while but in today’s war it is no longer allowed. Instead of poisonous gas, chemical warfare is used. Chemical weapons come in a variety of forms and are used for several different techniques.

The crude masks protection came from the mask being dipped into gas resistant chemicals, the gas resistant chemicals were sodium hyposulphite, washing soda, glycerine and water. Though the mask was basic, it acted as sign to British troops that something was being done to prevent mass fatalities by poison gas. In 1916 the innovation of the small box respirator was introduced with an improved design. Numerous other innovations occurred for the good and the bad including sanitary napkins, aircraft communications and tanks.

Armies started to use gas in WWI. Two of the most common gases were chlorine and mustard. Many were killed using these gases. Chemical weapons were extremely effective during WWI. By the end of WWI, 1,250,000 gas casualties occurred. Of these, 91,000 were fatalities. Chemical technology continued to be used in WWII, which killed even more. It killed so many people that chemical war was banned and considered inhumane. In 1968, the Chemical Warfare Convention occurred, banning the use of gas and stockpiling chemical weapons. Even though they were banned, the early ideas of gas technology and chemical warfare were advanced and were recently used in the Middle East. Chemical weapons were used by the Syrian government against the Syrian population. This presents another example of the impact of WWI technology on modern times. Despite being widely recognized as horrific, efficient chemical weapons remain a temptation to some governments

Poison gas was used throughout WW1. Chlorine gas, phosgene gas and mustard gas were the types of poison gas used in WW1. Chlorine gas effects a person within seconds of inhaling its vapor. It destroyed the victim's respiratory organs, bringing on choking attacks. Chlorine is a yellow-green gas with a strong, bleach like odour.it smells as a mix of pepper and pineapple. Phosgene is a colorless gas with a mustly odor comparable to newly cut hay or grass. Phosgene gas reacts with proteins in lung alveoli, causing suffocation. Cause

France was the first to introduce a chemical component for warfare called tear gas. It was utilized on the German Army in August, 1914. Although, it was not used to kill the enemy, it did incapacitate them and left them unable to defend their positions. Tear gas caused irritation in the mouth, eyes, and throat. The use of tear gas in trench warfare was not very effective.

World War One introduced new technology and weapons which made fighting war very different and injured and killed millions of people. A very important weapon that was introduced was mustard gas and other poison gasses. Mustard gas was a very dangerous poison gas that killed and wounded millions of people. Armies would drop bombs on opposing armies emit mustard gas into the opposing trenches or towns. Mustard gas was first used effectively in World War One by Germany against the British near Ypres, Belgium in 1917.

The infamous collection of lasting mental effects of warfare has been classified as a disorder known by many names: shell shock, Soldier’s Heart, and combat fatigue. Today, this disorder is classified as post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. According to the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, PTSD symptoms include persistent nightmares, constant avoidance of trauma-associated stimuli, and emotional numbing that was not present before trauma. PTSD is unlike other mental disorders because it is linked to a specific traumatic event, and it is often associated with combat (Institute 1). World War I was the catalyst for interest and research on war neuroses; at the time,

There are Three chemicals that make the bombs in WWII. One of the Chemicals are Tabun. Nazis forced prisoners to make tubun. Tabun is a chemical that messes with the nerve system. This chemical is also used stun grenades. The chemical was supposed to be a pesticide. Tubun was also used in gas chambers. Another gas used in bombs and in gas chamber is Zyklon B. Chlorine gas was a popular gas in WWI and in WWII. The gas was greenish yellow. It irritates the ears, lungs, nose, and throat. This gas kills its enemies by asphyxiation. This means it cuts off the air flow and chokes them.

On October 1914, Germany gassed Britain at Neuve Chapelle, but this did not have much impact. Later, on 31 January 1915 the first biggest known gas attack was made by Germany to Russia. The generals had calculated over 18,000 shells fired that had contained liquid xylyl bromide tear gas. Because of the cold weather the liquid, instead of vaporizing, froze and did not get the best results for Germany. Ever since then, countries are trying to make better poison gasses and to counter this, countries have to make better, much more efficient gas masks.

“The Tragedy of war is that it uses man’s best to do man’s worst” wise words from Henry Fosdick. When it comes down to the time where an individual hits rock bottom, a man either do its best or do its worst. Although, Man can do its best and do its worst at the same time. There are many reasons how man’s best can result to man’s worst. Henry Fosdick statement is both true and false.

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.