Modern Chemical Warfare
Overview
Chemical Warfare is using the chemical properties of a substance to your advantage during war. This has been going on for centuries. Even the most basic forms of weapons were used. People have been putting poison on the end of their spears and arrows since they have been around. Over the years, it has also developed into much more advanced chemistry. In this article, I am going to focus on the more advanced, modern uses of chemical warfare in World War I and World War II.
World War I
In World War I, the French were the first to use chemical weapons, even though this usage was banned. They used tear gases to immobilize the enemy. The two main tear gases that the French used were ethyl bromoacetate (CH2BrCO2C2H5) and chloroacetone (CH3COCH2Cl).
In 1917, Germany began to use chemicals with artillery shells containing the chemical, dianisidine chlorosulfonate. Since this weapon was easily made, it was used to save supplies so they didn’t have to use so many explosives. They then began to use xylyl bromide (C8H9Br) in weapons. These were both small-scale attacks.
The first large-scale chemical warfare attack was on April 22, 1915 in the Second Battle of Ypres, when the Germans attacked the allies with chlorine gas. It did not kill very many people, but did injure a lot.
There were a couple other gases that were used by countries including phosgene (COCl2), and mustard gas (2(Cl-CH2CH2)S).
Towards the end of World War I, the chemicals were becoming less and less useful because of the development of defenses against them such as the gas mask. They became less popular throughout the war, but regained its usefulness in World War II.
World War II As World War II started in the late 1930s, modern technology had sprouted, and so did the chemical weapons. Because of the Japanese, in 1938, there was The Treaty of Versailles, which tried to ban the use of noxious gases and submarines, but just like with World War I, it was disobeyed. The
Chemical Warfare is using the chemical properties of a substance to your advantage during war. This has been going on for centuries. Even the most basic forms of weapons were used. People have been putting poison on the end of their spears and arrows since they have been around. Over the years, it has also developed into much more advanced chemistry. In this article, I am going to focus on the more advanced, modern uses of chemical warfare in World War I and World War II.
World War I
In World War I, the French were the first to use chemical weapons, even though this usage was banned. They used tear gases to immobilize the enemy. The two main tear gases that the French used were ethyl bromoacetate (CH2BrCO2C2H5) and chloroacetone (CH3COCH2Cl).
In 1917, Germany began to use chemicals with artillery shells containing the chemical, dianisidine chlorosulfonate. Since this weapon was easily made, it was used to save supplies so they didn’t have to use so many explosives. They then began to use xylyl bromide (C8H9Br) in weapons. These were both small-scale attacks.
The first large-scale chemical warfare attack was on April 22, 1915 in the Second Battle of Ypres, when the Germans attacked the allies with chlorine gas. It did not kill very many people, but did injure a lot.
There were a couple other gases that were used by countries including phosgene (COCl2), and mustard gas (2(Cl-CH2CH2)S).
Towards the end of World War I, the chemicals were becoming less and less useful because of the development of defenses against them such as the gas mask. They became less popular throughout the war, but regained its usefulness in World War II.
World War II As World War II started in the late 1930s, modern technology had sprouted, and so did the chemical weapons. Because of the Japanese, in 1938, there was The Treaty of Versailles, which tried to ban the use of noxious gases and submarines, but just like with World War I, it was disobeyed. The
Cited: "A Brief History of Chemical Warfare." National Geographic. National Geographic Society, n.d. Web. 10 June 2013. "Chemical Warfare." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 06 Aug. 2013. Web. 10 June 2013. Croddy, Eric. Weapons of Mass Destruction: An Encyclopedia of Worldwide Policy, Technology and History. N.p.: ABC-CLIO, n.d. Google Books. Web. 10 June 2013. "UNODA - Chemical Weapons." UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. 10 June 2013.