Chemical Warfare in World War I
Juliana Amenta
2/18/13
Mr. Zastrow
Chemical Warfare During World War 1 The first World War has been reported to be one of the most brutal wars in the history of time for many reasons. One of those reasons was strategic usage of chemical warfare. Chemical gas was used on both sides of the line, which turned out to be fatal for many. World War I was mostly fought in the trenches, where soldiers lived in deep, v-shaped holes or underground bunkers. Both sides would occupy these trenches in order to escape from the constant stream of bullets. These battles often ended in a standoff, or tie, which helped the introduction of a different, brand new style of fighting that included the use of chemicals. These chemicals had a range of effects. These effects ranged from a simple tearing agent, to causing a slow, painful dead by asphyxiation or heart failure.
Some believe it was the Germans who started chemical warfare but it was the French who really started it. It was the first month of the war, August 1914 and the Germans were rapidly advancing through Belgium, and were approaching the French border at an incredible velocity. As defense, the French fired tear gas grenades (these contained bromide vapor) on their own troops to scare the Germans and have them hesitate until the gas had dispersed. Nevertheless, the Germans were the first to seriously study chemical weapons, create and use fatal chemicals, and the first to use gas in a large scale. The second chemical warfare incident was the Germans who fired shells at the French that contained a chemical irritant that resulted in a sneezing fit in October 1914.
Before World War I, when chemicals were first being introduced, many countries, including France and Germany, signed the Hague Convention in 1899. By signing this convention, nations banned the use of projectiles whose sole purpose was to asphyxiate or eliminate soldiers. The Hague II reinforced these rules and added more specifics like banning the
2/18/13
Mr. Zastrow
Chemical Warfare During World War 1 The first World War has been reported to be one of the most brutal wars in the history of time for many reasons. One of those reasons was strategic usage of chemical warfare. Chemical gas was used on both sides of the line, which turned out to be fatal for many. World War I was mostly fought in the trenches, where soldiers lived in deep, v-shaped holes or underground bunkers. Both sides would occupy these trenches in order to escape from the constant stream of bullets. These battles often ended in a standoff, or tie, which helped the introduction of a different, brand new style of fighting that included the use of chemicals. These chemicals had a range of effects. These effects ranged from a simple tearing agent, to causing a slow, painful dead by asphyxiation or heart failure.
Some believe it was the Germans who started chemical warfare but it was the French who really started it. It was the first month of the war, August 1914 and the Germans were rapidly advancing through Belgium, and were approaching the French border at an incredible velocity. As defense, the French fired tear gas grenades (these contained bromide vapor) on their own troops to scare the Germans and have them hesitate until the gas had dispersed. Nevertheless, the Germans were the first to seriously study chemical weapons, create and use fatal chemicals, and the first to use gas in a large scale. The second chemical warfare incident was the Germans who fired shells at the French that contained a chemical irritant that resulted in a sneezing fit in October 1914.
Before World War I, when chemicals were first being introduced, many countries, including France and Germany, signed the Hague Convention in 1899. By signing this convention, nations banned the use of projectiles whose sole purpose was to asphyxiate or eliminate soldiers. The Hague II reinforced these rules and added more specifics like banning the
Bibliography: It was Thursday evening, April 22nd, 1915. In a meadow off the Poperinghe-Ypres road, the men of the Queen Victoria Rifles were taking their ease. We had just fought our first big action in the fight for Hill 60. First published in Everyman at War (1930), edited by C. B. Purdom.