22 April 1915: The day the first poison gas attack changed the face of warfare forever

[Surya Gayatri]

The German army unleashed a chemical attack on the allies at Ypres in 1915.


On 22 April 1915, less than nine months into the First World War, the German army unleashed a terrifying new weapon that changed the face of warfare forever.

At around 5pm, across a 6km front, troops released almost 6,000 metal cannisters – 168 tonnes – of poisonous chlorine gas towards trenches held by French and Algerian forces near the Belgian city of Ypres.

The results were devastating. A noxious yellow cloud enveloped the allied positions, and within moments 5,000 soldiers were dead, with another 10,000 injured, as the gas ate into their unprotected lungs.



Poison gas was prohibited by the Hague Conventions. (Hulton/Getty)


By the end of the war in 1918 the allies had used more tonnes of gas than the Germans. In total, chemical weapons killed nearly 100,000 people during the conflict, wounding an estimated one million.

______________________

I think millions and millions of Americans have never understood what 'modern' war really means.

Except for US veterans of these wars, no-one else has ever experienced such depradations first-hand.

I've been to the 'killing fields' in the Somme region of northern France where these unspeakable war crimes were perpetrated.



Read more:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/100-years-on-the-day-the-first-poison-gas-attack-changed-the-face-of-warfare-forever-10193976.html

[Sunlei]

1. Roman empire and persians gassed using bitumen (simple tar sands and sulfur)

Archeologists have found the oldest evidence of chemical warfare yet after studying the bodies of 20 Roman soldiers' found underground in Syria 70 years ago.


Clues left at the scene revealed the Persians were lying in wait as the Romans dug a tunnel during a siege – then pumped in toxic gas – produced by sulphur crystals and bitumen – to kill all the Romans in minutes.

[Surya Gayatri]

2. Go to the link and read the article. This is all discussed.

'Poisons and chemicals had been a part of war in some form for centuries, while tear gas had been employed by both French and German forces during the early months of the conflict. However, the use of poison gas in warfare had been prohibited by the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907.'

[cwydro]

3. I have a collection of books

on WW1. That war was horrible in every way.

Some of those military leaders should have been hanged, imo.

[Surya Gayatri]

4. More 'murderous' than WWII in the field.

Horrific, inhumane - IMHO, Europe bears the scars to this day. Much like the US still bears the scars of the Civil War.

[cwydro]

5. Exactly.

Sending men "over the top" again and again. Simply to be mowed down by the thousands.

And what happened to horses in that war is also unimaginable.

I want to visit those battlefields one day.

[Surya Gayatri]

6. Many of the battlefields are being 'restored' for the 100 anniversary of WWI.

Did you see this film?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Horse_%28film%29

[cwydro]

7. No way could I see it.

I've seen every other WW1 move I can get my hands on though.

[pampango]

8. On the battlefield that is certainly true. WWII 'excelled' at killing civilians as 'mobile warfare'

as opposed to the 'trench warfare' of WWI, swept quickly through areas before civilian had a chance to flee or through large scale aerial bombing of cities designed to 'break the will' of 'enemy' civilians.

Both wars were horrible in their own way.

[Ms. Yertle]

9. Ironically,

the use of mustard gas led to discoveries of its applications in cancer treatment, potentially saving millions of lives.