The use of poison gas in World War I escalated when chlorine gas was released as a chemical weapon in the Second Battle of Ypres on April 22, 1915. At 17:30, in a slight easterly breeze, the gas was released by the Germans, forming a gray-green cloud that drifted across positions held by French Colonial troops from Martinique who broke ranks and abandoned their trenches.
The British expressed outrage at Germany's use of poison gas at Ypres but responded by developing their own gas warfare capability. The first use of gas by the British was at the Battle of Loos on September 25, 1915. The attempt was a disaster as there was little wind, and the gas either lingered in no man's land or, in places, blew back on the British trenches.
Chemist Fritz Haber's discovery of synthesizing ammonia from atmospheric nitrogen is credited for saving billions of lives. He also was a pioneer of the first chemical weapons used in World War 1. His wife was so horrified of his role in chlorine gas attacks that she killed herself.
The British expressed outrage at Germany's use of poison gas at Ypres but responded by developing their own gas warfare capability. The first use of gas by the British was at the Battle of Loos on September 25, 1915. The attempt was a disaster as there was little wind, and the gas either lingered in no man's land or, in places, blew back on the British trenches.
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| British troops blinded by tear gas during the Battle of Estaires, 1918 |
Chemist Fritz Haber's discovery of synthesizing ammonia from atmospheric nitrogen is credited for saving billions of lives. He also was a pioneer of the first chemical weapons used in World War 1. His wife was so horrified of his role in chlorine gas attacks that she killed herself.
Gerhard Schrader was a chemist tasked to create new insecticides. He created Preparation 9/91 which killed insects, but also caused diarrhea, vomiting, and death. His employers stated he had failed. Schrader then alerted the Nazis and was hired. He was paid $20,000 and in 1938 developed Sarin gas.
When asked why nerve gas was not used in Normandy, Hermann Göring said the Nazis were dependent upon horse-drawn transport to move supplies to their combat units, and had never been able to devise a gas mask that horses could tolerate.
In 1981 the US claimed Vietnam had used chemical weapons on its own people, saying over ten thousand had died from what was described as 'yellow rain'. When the 'yellow rain' was analyzed it was found to be harmless bee feces.
For the first time in military history, a civilian population was targeted for chemical attack when Iraqi warplanes bombed the Iranian town of Sardasht in 1987.
When asked why nerve gas was not used in Normandy, Hermann Göring said the Nazis were dependent upon horse-drawn transport to move supplies to their combat units, and had never been able to devise a gas mask that horses could tolerate.
In 1981 the US claimed Vietnam had used chemical weapons on its own people, saying over ten thousand had died from what was described as 'yellow rain'. When the 'yellow rain' was analyzed it was found to be harmless bee feces.
For the first time in military history, a civilian population was targeted for chemical attack when Iraqi warplanes bombed the Iranian town of Sardasht in 1987.
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