Chlorine gas was used on a wide scale by the German forces at Ypres in April 1915. In its first uses, chlorine was deadly for soldiers who did not wear gas masks. In the first wide scale attack at Ypres, it was estimated that over 1,100 were killed. The German forces would not be ready for it’s level of effectiveness and they would delay in pressing into the gap formed in enemy lines, which caused them to gain very little ground. The effectiveness of chlorine would soon decline because its appearance and strong odor made it easy to spot. Also, because chlorine is water soluble, solders without gas masks could minimize its effect by placing water soaked rags over their mouths and nose. Releasing chlorine would be another problem because the
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.
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.
This gas may cause temporary blindness and inflammation of the nose and throat of the victim. A gas mask would easily offer good protection against this gas. This chemical and any chemical with bromide were quite popular during World War I since it was easily brewed.
“We were told, ‘it’s totally safe and it won’t hurt you at all,” he added. “We were told you can drink it, you can brush your teeth with it, or you can bathe in it. It won’t hurt you. Those were lies.” (“U.S. Soldiers Sprayed Agent Orange across Korea” 1) Agent Orange was an herbicide used by the United States military forces in Vietnam between 1962 and 1971 to destroy their enemies’ food supply, land, and protection. Twelve million gallons of this toxin were sprayed. (Department of Preventive Medicine 1) It affected the Vietnamese and the American troops who were fighting in the same jungle. Little did the United States military know the effects of this dangerous herbicide. It caused many long-term complications, including health problems
On April 22 the Germans sought to remove the Salient by introducing a new weapon of modern warfare- poison gas. Following an intensive artillery bombardment, they released 160 tons of chlorine gas from cylinders dug into the forward edge of their trenches into a light northeast wind.4 “As thick clouds of yellow-green chlorine drifted over their trenches the French
The poisonous gas used in the 1916 Battle of the Somme was the most inhuman weapon of World War One. Mustard gas was the most unsettling and weapon used in World War One. It is extremely disturbing than any cultured nation would use such a weapon. The use of poisonous gas in World War One was a weapon like no other. The Germans who used the poisonous gas were even surprised at the devastating effects it had on the ally troops. An attack could leave victims in agony for days to weeks before they recovered or if they did not die first. As a result, poisonous gas was one of the most dreaded weapons of World War One. One benefit with using poisonous gas was that the country using it had the element of surprise on their side. The gas was very effective
The sleeper cell coordinates the attack incorporating lessons learned from previous arrests of failed terrorist plots worldwide. The sleepers know the purchase of pressure cookers will draw attention to themselves. To solve this problem, the machinists produce the pressure cookers and pipes for the chlorine attack. Chlorine was selected because it is easier to acquire from the HAZMAT driver. The increased pandemonium, injury, and possible death caused by chlorine meets the sleeper cell’s intent. Chlorine is a choking agent and according to Shea (2013), “…choking agents act on the lungs, causing difficulty in breathing and, potentially, permanent lung damage” (p. 5). The sleeper cell desires a high concentration of chlorine in the attack, causing
klon B was the most perfered killing tool of the Nazis. Zyklon B was used for many deaths, but i bilieve it was to use this in a vereZyklon B the gas that took over 1.2 million lives. Zyy wrong way.
With a large amount of confusion surrounding the public, religions began to voice their opinions. Some religious views were supported by the media, whereas medical support was varied but limited as many felt that chloroform was unethical (Church History, 2006). The Church of England preached against the use of chloroform relating to the bible “God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam… he took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh”, Simpson challenged this as it shows the first surgical operation on humans (Robinson, 1996). Simpson discovered that during labour a women can experience anxiety and dread towards birth but with chloroform those feelings disappear (Poovey, 1986). A journalist for New Vision tested securities around chloroform
Owen writes, “But someone still was yelling out and stumbling / And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime…” (11-12). These lines described an unfortunate soldier who did not respond swiftly enough to the chemical attack and knowingly panicked as he succumbed to a lethal dose of chlorine gas. When this soldier inhaled toxic chlorine gas, his lungs literally filled up with bodily fluid because his airway tissue was burned (Fitzgerald 613). Owen used the word “lime” in reference to “a caustic highly infusible solid that consists of calcium oxide often together with magnesium oxide…” also known as “quicklime” (Duffy). During WWI, quicklime was a white chalky compound sprinkled on latrines, graves, and trenches to dissolve the smell of feces and decomposing corpses.
The surprise use of chlorine gas allowed the Germans to rupture the French line along a 6-kilometer front, causing terror and forcing a panicked and chaotic retreat. This wall of gas killed more than 1000 French and Algerian soldiers, while wounding approximately 4000 more. The use of chemical gas was Germanys idea of a swift and decisive action that would prove victory over the AXIS powers. German soldiers would load shells with a super toxic chemical that could be dispersed along the battle field from miles away. Never in history had this weapon be used changing how soldiers and scientist fight the war on and off the battle field. A British soldier described the pandemonium that flowed from the front lines to the rear.
Chlorines history was never intended to be used as a weapon. In 1774 German-Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele discovered the chemical (Chlorine, 2013). The uses for liquid and solid chlorine was found to kill bacteria and has been developed to be used in small quantities to
On April 1915, The first poison gas attack began when the German forces shocked the Allied forces along the Western Front by firing more than 150 tonnes of lethal chlorine gas against two French colonial divisions at Ypres, Belgium (History.com Staff, 2010). Poison gas was the most feared of all weapons in World War One. Poison gas was used in the trenches even when there was no attack going on. If a Soldiers got trapped with poison gas, it would mean that soldiers have to put a crude gas mask (Figure 1) on because it helped protect the soldiers from inhaling airborne pollutants and toxic gases. Poison gas can leave the victim in agony for days and weeks before they succumbed to their injuries.
There are many different types of gas, each is unique to producing its own symptoms and effects. “The primary gases of World War I were Mustard, Phosgene, Chlorine, and a mix of Chlorine and Phosgene gases” (“Research”). Mustard gas is probably the most commonly known. Mustard gas was really painful because it caused the soldiers skin to blister. However, its symptoms did not always appear right away. Some soldiers did not even realize they had been infected with it until up to twelve hours later! One of the reasons it was so nasty was because it could transfer through material onto the skin. It was given the nickname “King of Gases” because of how commonly it was used. Another commonly used gas was Chlorine. Chlorine caused many deaths. Even those who survived the original dose usually ended up dying later due to pneumonia. The Chlorine gas caused acute bronchitis, and slowly suffocated those exposed to it.
Mainly as an disinfectant. It should be used today because it is very useful and cleans many things that get dirty. The Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare, usually called the Geneva Protocol, is a treaty prohibiting the use of chemical and biological weapons in international armed conflicts. They have this because chlorine gas is so deadly. think that using chlorine gas in war is fine if it is a last resort after all peaceful methods have been tried. Also, if you are defending yourself. Although, it is a very dangerous weapon if you don’t have gas