Evolution of Poison Gas in World War I
France was actually the first country in WWI to gas as a weapon. In August of 1914 they used tear-gas(xylyl bromide and ethyl bromoacetate) grenades against the Germans. This gas doesn’t kill but renders soldiers unable to fight because of tearing in the eyes and irritation in the throat, mouth and lungs. Although France was the first to use these deadly gases Germany was the first to give the chemicals intense study and use them on a large scale.
Germanys first experiment with these gases was in the capture of Neuve Chapelle in October of 1914. The Germans fired shells at the french that were filled with chemicals that put the French into an aggressive sneezing fit. The Germans next experiment with these weapons was on January 31st 1915 was with tear gas. The Germans used this gas on the Eastern Front. The Germans also had a failed attempt at using these weapons against Russia at Bolimov. They used Tear glass liquids that failed to vaporize in the low temperatures in Russia. The Germans were still intent on using these weapons despite this failure and their next experiment was at Nieuport against the French in March of 1915.
The first time that poison gas was officially used was on April 22nd 1915. Chlorine gas was used on this date during the Second Battle of Ypres. The Germans poured a bombardment around Ypres. The bomb took a little while to release the gas but soon the French and Algerian troops that were attacked noticed a fog drifting their way. Not knowing what it was the stood ready to fight but were struck with the first Chlorine attack of WWI. Once chlorine gas is inhaled it essentially attacks you from the inside out destroying all of the victims respiratory organs. Brittain used these attacks as an opportunity to use propaganda against the Germans and the attack also ruined Germanys relationships with neutral countries (like the US). Despite this the use of poison gas increased as the war went on.
view from an aeroplane of a gas attack
The British were the first to reciprocate with the use of poison gas. Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Foulkes gave orders for the British to attack Loos in September of 1915. The British were not allowed to use to word gas for their missions, however, because of the reputation the attacks had so instead used the term “accessories.” The chlorine gas attacks took place on the 24th of September with about 400 emplacements around Loos. Because of the wind much of gas was blown into the British trenches and it is estimated just as many if not more British soldiers died than German ones. Britain was not the only country to suffer this kind of failure. Britain, Germany and France all were looking for a new way to use the gas so it would not be self harming. Artillery shells proved to be the best idea because it increased target range and released more gas.
Following Chlorine gas people began using Phosgene. It causes the victim to choke and cough and the chemical is much more potent and deadly than chlorine gas. The gas had a delayed reaction, a soldier would inhale the gas and not notice they were so sick until about 48 hours after. From phosgene came the “white star.” A mix of phosgene and chlorine.
In 1917 the Germans unveiled the use of mustard gas against the Russians at Riga. Mustard gas has almost no scent, but after several hours of being exposed, your body begins to burn and to develop intense blisters filled with yellow fluid on the inside and outside of your body. Mustard gas was very difficult to treat, more so than chlorine or phosgene gasses. The gas could take days to leave the soils of trenches so sometimes it would infect the soldiers who had used the artillery mustard gas shells while they were trying to capture the trench of their enemies after attacking.
By 1918 mustard gas had spread, especially on the western front. Gas became very popular as a weapon and nations started filling shells with bromine or chloropicrin. The french even used nerve gas; but phosgene, chlorine and mustard gas were the most popular. It has been decided that germany used about 68,000 tons of gas, the French 36,000 tons and the British 25,000 tons.
After 1915 gas became less effective as it lost the element of surprise because it was so widely used. Countries also became better at treating the patients. Cotton swabs were dipped in a bicarbonate soda solution and held over the face and skin for treating chlorine gas. For chlorine it was also recommended to use a cloth with urine on it and hold it against your face. Soldiers also began gas training and started wearing gas masks or “filter respirators” which worked but made daily activities much harder.
Number of Casualties and deaths from poison gas in WWI
This video gives us an image of what the poison gas attacks would've looked like on the battlefield
Works Cited
American soldiers putting on gas masks during gas attack. N.d. Photos of the Great War. Web. 1 Apr.
2015. <http://www.gwpda.org/photos/coppermine/displayimage.php?album=9&pos=62>.
Chemical Warfare: Poison Gases in World War I. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2015.
<http://www.compoundchem.com/2014/05/17/chemical-warfare-ww1/>.
First World War.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. <http://m3a.vhlcentral.com/sections/261669/
activities/9594>.
"Gas Attack Seen from Aeroplane." First World War. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2015.
<http://www.firstworldwar.com/photos/gas.htm>.
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