The use of Chemical Warfare in World War 1 was horrifying as many soldiers would say. Chemical gases were used as a physical weapon as much as a psychological weapon. The first major gas attack happened on January 31, 1915 when over 18,000 tear gas shells rained down on the russian lines but as surprising as it may seem the gas did little to no effect on the russian lines as one soldier said “The results left him disappointed” (Pruszewicz, 2015). Even tho the first gasses weren't that effective they did open the door for the research of more deadly and effective gases. Everyone started to see the potential havoc gases could bring down on the enemy forces. In late 1914 the Germans started working on the making chemical agents. Haber Fitz,
…show more content…
This gas was developed by the German Army in 1917. Mustard gas is a oily liquid, when the droplets make contact with the skin it causes deep burns. This gas is a blistering agent which can cause blistering all over the body and can even blind a person if they don't wash their eyes quickly. This gas even blistered the inside of a soldier's lungs and throat this happened when the victim would breath in the gas. Mustard gas is a persistent chemical meaning it contaminates an area for days after it was released. Since it is heavier than air in settles in low areas such as ditches and trenches, all a soldier had to do was disturb the dirt and he and would then be exposed to the gas again.This then forces soldiers to wear extra clothing and gas masks to protect themselves (Zilinskas, 2016). Soldiers exposed to Mustard Gas especially for a long period of time needed to wash their skin with hot soap and water to remove the chemical from their skin. If they did not do this within 30 minutes of exposure to the gas there skin would start to blister. Mustard gas victims needed to wash their eyes as fast as possible (Fitzgerald, …show more content…
When a person was gassed by Phosgene or chlorine he was given pretty much just given oxygen and bed rest until there were healthy enough to return to the front. One problem that arose later into the war was gas fright or imagined gas. This happened quite frequently during the war because of the constant fear of getting gassed. This even sent some men to have mental breakdowns because soldiers never knew if there gasmaske would leak or when the next attack would happen. As one soldier said “The constant threat of exposure to even a single gas shell added to the already unbearable stress of life on the front.” (Fitzgerald, 2008). Toward 1917 and 1918 gas fright or the impression that a soldier was gassed became so popular that medics found it harder to diagnose a real gassed soldier opposed to an imagined gassed soldier. A soldier with no real physical signs were sent back to the front as soon as possible. “The fear of gassed spread like a virus” (Pruszewicz, 2015). In february 1918 a soldier from the 1/22 London regiment developed a sore throat, he immediately thought he had been gassed and reported it. Within hours 67 of the 105 men in the regiment were evacuated as gas casualties even tho they had no physical symptoms. (Pruszewicz, 2015) As you see gas warfare was a terrifying weapon as many people would say.“Soldiers on all sides felt that gas warfare was a improper weapon and went
This gas was developed by the German Army in 1917. Mustard gas is a oily liquid, when the droplets make contact with the skin it causes deep burns. This gas is a blistering agent which can cause blistering all over the body and can even blind a person if they don't wash their eyes quickly. This gas even blistered the inside of a soldier's lungs and throat this happened when the victim would breath in the gas. Mustard gas is a persistent chemical meaning it contaminates an area for days after it was released. Since it is heavier than air in settles in low areas such as ditches and trenches, all a soldier had to do was disturb the dirt and he and would then be exposed to the gas again.This then forces soldiers to wear extra clothing and gas masks to protect themselves (Zilinskas, 2016). Soldiers exposed to Mustard Gas especially for a long period of time needed to wash their skin with hot soap and water to remove the chemical from their skin. If they did not do this within 30 minutes of exposure to the gas there skin would start to blister. Mustard gas victims needed to wash their eyes as fast as possible (Fitzgerald, …show more content…
When a person was gassed by Phosgene or chlorine he was given pretty much just given oxygen and bed rest until there were healthy enough to return to the front. One problem that arose later into the war was gas fright or imagined gas. This happened quite frequently during the war because of the constant fear of getting gassed. This even sent some men to have mental breakdowns because soldiers never knew if there gasmaske would leak or when the next attack would happen. As one soldier said “The constant threat of exposure to even a single gas shell added to the already unbearable stress of life on the front.” (Fitzgerald, 2008). Toward 1917 and 1918 gas fright or the impression that a soldier was gassed became so popular that medics found it harder to diagnose a real gassed soldier opposed to an imagined gassed soldier. A soldier with no real physical signs were sent back to the front as soon as possible. “The fear of gassed spread like a virus” (Pruszewicz, 2015). In february 1918 a soldier from the 1/22 London regiment developed a sore throat, he immediately thought he had been gassed and reported it. Within hours 67 of the 105 men in the regiment were evacuated as gas casualties even tho they had no physical symptoms. (Pruszewicz, 2015) As you see gas warfare was a terrifying weapon as many people would say.“Soldiers on all sides felt that gas warfare was a improper weapon and went