We regularly hear talk about chemical weapons and chemical warfare in the media. A good reason to delve deeper into this matter. What exactly are chemical weapons? When were they first used and why are these types of weapons used? And is anything being done about it? And why are these weapons so attractive to terrorists?
The History of Chemical Weapons
The first time chemical weapons were used was on April 22, 1915, by German troops in Ypres, during the First World War. This resulted in approximately 5,000 casualties. This involved chlorine gas, which caused many casualties among the French and Algerian troops on the other side. A month later, on May 31, 1915, the same gas was used on the Eastern Front in Poland. Nearly 200 chemical attacks were committed during the First World War. The German Prof. Fritz Haber, a Nobel laureate, was the head of German chemical warfare. He was personally present to supervise the first attack in Ypres. He is considered the father of chemical warfare. These first chemical attacks were actually mainly an extension of something that had already been used in wars much earlier: smoke and burning sulfur had been in use for centuries, but weather conditions often made these kinds of things uncertain. Only with the advent of modern science could such a thing as chemical weaponry actually be created. The number of casualties that actually occurred as a result of chemical weapons during the First World War is difficult to estimate. Some speak of 1,296,000 victims, caused by 125,000 tons of chemical weapons, but during this period official statistics often underestimate the number of victims. Many people only died after a long period of time.
Geneva Protocol
Since World War I, chemical weapons ( Chemical Weapon Agents or CWA ) have been used in at least twelve conflicts. A number of countries have signed treaties to stop producing chemical weapons, the Geneva Protocol of 1925, but some countries and terrorist organizations are not part of this protocol. It has currently been signed by 149 countries. This Protocol prohibits the ‘first use’ of biological and chemical weapons. However, it did allow production and storage and ‘defensive’ use. In 1972, the Biological Weapons Convention was established, which declared production, storage and use prohibited. In 1993, the new Chemical Weapons Convention was drawn up in Paris, which came into force on April 29, 1997. This Convention has so far been signed by 111 countries, including the US and Russia. A new international body was founded: the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague. From that moment on, the production, storage, transport and use of chemical weapons for military purposes was prohibited. These products were permitted for industrial, agricultural or other use. And the use of CS gas and similar products, to be used to suppress riots, was also permitted. Each country must destroy its stockpile within ten years, disabling existing production facilities that can produce more than a ton of chemical weapons.
Simplicity
It is relatively easy to produce chemical weapons: the necessary chemicals are easily available and finding the production method on the Internet is a breeze. This makes it attractive for terrorist organizations. A good example is Japan, where the Aum Shinrikyo sect used sarin twice, causing deaths and many injuries. The presence of the substances that make a chemical weapon is not sufficient to create the possibility of chemical warfare. The substances must actually be made into ‘weapons’ so that they can achieve their purpose.
Types of Chemical Weapons
Chemical weapons (CWA) can be divided into various categories:
- nerve agents (such as sarin, soman, tabun)
- vesicants (such as mustard gas)
- substances that cause asphyxiation (such as chlorine, phosgene)
- cyanide
- substances that result in motionlessness
- means to keep riots in check
- agents that induce vomiting
Use Chemical Weapons
Most chemical weapons are transported in liquid form and then converted into gas for use. Others become useful when they come into contact with the air. There are three ways they cause damage: through the eyes, skin or the respiratory tract. Depending on the type and quantity, the weapons can have immediate consequences or only have an effect later. With many chemical weapons