MIL-HDBK-783(EA)
June 1925, the Geneva Protocol. considered the first
current and future CB agent threats. Several decontami-
step toward totally eliminating chemical warfare, was
nation concepts and their application feasibility are
adopted by the League of Nations.
discussed.
Between World War I and World War II, with the
exception of' the development of chemical weapons
1-3 HISTORY
delivery systems (both bombs and spray tank systems)
1-3.1 CB WARFARE
for aircraft delivery, no significant advances in CB
offense were made until the discovery of the nerve gases
The use of chemical weapons in warfare is not a
modern tactic. Warriors in ancient India used incendiary
in Germany shortly before World War II. The basic
research that culminated in the development of nerve
devices against their enemies. Byzantine soldiers used a
compound that, when burned, created toxic fumes.
agents had begun in Germany in 1934 with the dis-
covery, during research seeking new types of insecti-
Smoke was said to have been used against the armies of'
the Roman Empire. In the Middle Ages the Christians
cides, that fluorine compounds tended to be toxic.
"The first nerve agent developed was called tabun
defeated the Turks with toxic fumes created by burning
(GA) and the other G-series agents followed rapidly.
rags soaked in chemicals.
Tabun was first prepared on 23 December 1936, and by
Modern chemical weapons were conceived during
1939 a pilot plant had been set up to provide quantities
World War 1 and were used widely by Allied and
for field testing. Later, a full-scale production plant was
Central Power forces. Harassing agents and, later, lethal
built. which operated between April 1942 and the begin-
agents were developed and used. The first lethal agent
ning of 1945, and produced some 12,000 tons of tabun
employed was chlorine, which was released from high-
during that period. Sarin (GB), one of the most potent
-pressure tanks by the Germans against the French and
of the currently known nerve agents. was discovered in
British forces at Ypres in April 1915. At least 5000
1939. Although there were considerable difficulties in
troops were killed by that attack and 10,000 additional
developing a manufacturing process for that agent, a
troops became casualties. The greatest losses inflicted
potential satisfactory process was worked out and a
by chemical weapons occurred in Russia; the number of'
production plant was begun in 1943. The plant, how-
casualties was estimated to have been 500,000, of which
ever, was overrun by the Soviets before it was finished.
50,000 were fatalities. The reason for the heavy Russian
In 1944 soman (GD) was also discolored by the
losses was probably the lack of effective protection
Germans. but it was too late in the war for the necessary
aggravated by poor training ( Ret. I).
development work to proceed very far.
The use of chlorine gas and, later, phosgene (both
Another class of potent nerve gases derived from
respiratory agents) generated tremendous efforts on
organophosphate compounds was developed between
both sides to develop protective equipment. Various
1952 to 1954. These new lethal compounds were called
types of crude gas masks (respirators) were developed
V-series agents. By 1958 the United States had selected
and used first by the Canadians and the British until an
one of the V-series compounds. named VX, for large-
early version of the carbon canister filters that are used
scale manufacture. In 1959 construction work on the
today came into widespread use.
factory began, and in 1961 production of VX com-
The United States began preparations for war with
menced. This continued until 1968 when the plant was
neither a policy nor a capability for chemical warfare,
shut down.
and it took a considerable amount of time for the
Although the Geneva Protocol has prohibited the use
United States to catch up. US Forces were not provided
of CB weapons since 1925, it has not prevented the use
with gas masks until late 1917, and US chemical
of these weapons. There have been several adequately
munitions were not sent to the front until late 1918.
s u b s t a n t i a t e d and additional alleged but unsub-
At the end of World War I, the military establishment
stantiated instances of the use of chemical warfare on a
in most of the participating countries was unconvinced
relatively large scale since 1925.
about the value of chemical weapons for their own
The Italians used mustard gas (H) against Abyssinia
forces. However, the people in the participating coun-
in 1936 and 1937. It is believed that the use of CB
tries were horrified by, and openly and loudly protested.
weapons against the entirely unprepared Abyssinians
the results of chemical weapons use, and efforts to
had a decisive influence on the outcome of the war
prohibit repetition were initiated.
(Ref. 1).
The Versailles Treaty of 1919 included a prohibition
Although the Germans manufactured CB agents dur-
on the use of poisonous gases, and the Washington
ing World War II, the agents were never used during
Disarmament Conference of 1922 considered a similar
that war. Most likely this was due to the German fear
provision, but it never was enacted. At American and
of' reprisal because the Germans were convinced that
French initiatives, the Geneva Conference of 1925
the Allies also had supplies of' nerve agents.
addressed the subject of chemical warfare, and on 17
1-2
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