Fritz Haber's Deadly InventionAt the very beginning of World War I, Fritz Haber was consulted about the creation of new chemical weapons for Germany. He began by experimenting with chlorine gas, which was used widely in trench warfare, starting in 1915 when it was released while fighting against the French. It was not a particularly lethal gas, but it still had catastrophic effects on the respiratory systems of the soldiers who inhaled it. He was a big German patriot and wanted to help his country in the war effort. Ironically, he was forced to flee Germany during WWII because he was Jewish.
iro·ny noun \ˈī-rə-nē also ˈī(-ə)r-nē\a situation that is strange or funny because things happen in a way that seems to be the opposite of what you expected |
brine noun \ˈbrīn\: a mixture of salty water |
How it Was Made and AppliedChlorine gas was created in German laboratories by running an electric current through brine, then placed in canisters and shipped to the trenches. German textile companies also found that chlorine gas wIt was extremely important for the soldiers to use the weather and wind conditions to their advantage when opening the cylinders; if they didn't, the gas would miss the initial target completely or blow back onto the advancing troops.
can·is·ter noun \ˈka-nə-stər\: a metal case that contains gas or chemical substances and that bursts when it is fired from a gun |
The Aftermath and TodayAfter seeing the effects chemical weapons had during World War I, the Geneva Protocol was signed in 1925. It prohibited the use or preparation of asphyxiating, poisonous, or other gases and bacteriological warfare. Since its original signing the protocol has been trespassed a number of times, specifically during World War II, the Cold War, the Iran-Iraq war, and most recently the Syrian Civil war.
bac·te·ri·ol·o·g-i-cal noun \(ˌ)bak-ˌtir-ē-ˈä-lə-jē\: dealing with the life and phenomena of bacteria |
Citations:
Simkin, John. "Chlorine Gas." (2013): n.pag. Spartacus Educationaal. Web. 29 Jan 2014. <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWchlorine.htm>.
"Chemical Weapons Production and Storage ." Federation of American Scientists. Fas.org, n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2014. <http://www.fas.org/programs/bio/chemweapons/production.html>.
"Irony." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irony>.
"Canister." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/canister>.
"Brine." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brine>.
"Bacteriology." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bacteriology>
Simkin, John. "Chlorine Gas." (2013): n.pag. Spartacus Educationaal. Web. 29 Jan 2014. <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWchlorine.htm>.
"Chemical Weapons Production and Storage ." Federation of American Scientists. Fas.org, n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2014. <http://www.fas.org/programs/bio/chemweapons/production.html>.
"Irony." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irony>.
"Canister." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/canister>.
"Brine." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brine>.
"Bacteriology." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bacteriology>
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