The Forgotten Weapon of War !

A century has passed since the outbreak of the first world war and it's incredible loss of life when modern weapons were used on the battlefield for the first time.  Fortunately, one of those weapons was not used when war again enveloped Europe in 1939, but the spectre of "Poison Gas " still haunts military planners.  It is still a very effective weapon - and many old stockpiles still exist.

Asphyxiating gas is legally a war crime because it was outlawed by the Hague Declaration of 1899. It was first used by the German forces on January 31, 1915 against Russian troops.    The chemical used was Chlorine, and it was ineffective because it froze in the frigid temperature prevailing.

Chlorine was used again on April 22, 1915 against French troops at Ypres. It caused panic and opened a seven kilometre gap as the gas killed defenders and caused a general retreat.  This brought no gain because the German troops refused to advance because the gas lingered, and eventually the status quo was restored.   Behind the lines, chemists on both sides were desperately trying to develop an advanced form of gas warfare - and this evolved into the dreaded "Mustard Gas ".

In July 1917 Mustard Gas was used against the British, causing over a thousand casualties.  Unlike Chlorine and Phosgene this heavier than air gas is odourless. Gas masks offer little protection because when it comes in contact with the skin it  results in blisters and exposure, destroys the lining of the lungs and causes blindness.  It is more likely to cause massive debilitation than immediate death, and after the war many victims were totally incapacitated for the remainder of their lives.

Gas proved a capricious weapon. A change of wind direction could turn the attack back on the attacker and it tended to linger in the bottom of trenches - where soldiers were sheltering from enemy fire.  In the first world war it was strictly applied to the battlefield, but if it were to be used against civilian populations living in cities the death tolls could be enormous.   During the second world war, civilians were required to carry a gas mask as a precaution.

Making lethal gases is something freely listed in books on chemistry and we know many countries keep reserves of such weapons.  Warfare has also changed and today civil wars are more likely than giant encounters on the battlefield between conventional armies.  In the Middle East, lethal gases have been used on several occasions in both Syria and Iraq and we are seeing a growing tendency for hostilities to move in and against civilian populations.   If the intention is to cause mass casualties, poison gas would be a credible weapon.

The opponents in the second world war wisely decided to refrain from the use of gas, even in the last stages of the war when desperate measures may have been considered to stave off defeat.  As a result, poison gas has slipped from the mind of most people.  It has become the "forgotten weapon of war "  from a distant age.   We can be sure it has not escaped notice by the present belligerents facing off and urging their adherents to strike at the home base of their enemies.

That is a scenario that must give those tasked with our protection sleepless nights.  Nearly a full century has passed since poison gas was used as a weapon of war.  It would be a mistake to underestimate it's potential as a terror weapon !