Juliana Amenta
2/18/13
Mr. Zastrow
Chemical Warfare During World War 1 The first World War has been reported to be one of the most brutal wars in the history of time for many reasons. One of those reasons was strategic usage of chemical warfare. Chemical gas was used on both sides of the line, which turned out to be fatal for many. World War I was mostly fought in the trenches, where soldiers lived in deep, v-shaped holes or underground bunkers. Both sides would occupy these trenches in order to escape from the constant stream of bullets. These battles often ended in a standoff, or tie, which helped the introduction of a different, brand new style of fighting that included the use of chemicals. These chemicals had a range of …show more content…

Mustard gas was used in chemical warfare and was made in large amounts during World War I and II. It was also used in the Iran-Iraq was in 1984-88. It is presently use in the U.S. for research purposes. The U.S. secretary of Defense was instructed to destroy all remaining stocks of lethal military chemical agents, including mustard gas, by 1997. Mustard gas has been a favorite chemical weapon in wars because it can be fairly delivered via conventional bombs, rockets, and artillery shells and because mustard gas contamination can render an area unusable by enemy forces. Mustard agents, as known as blistering agents, produce wounds that look like burns or blisters when they come into contact with the skin. These agents may also cause severe damage to the other organs on the body such as the eyes, the respiratory system and other internal organs. This gas received its name from an early production method that yielded a mustard-smelling agent in 1822, where it was invented. Symptoms don’t actually occur until 2 -24 hours later from the first contact point, resulting in severe cell damage before the patient may even know they have been exposed. Mild symptoms consist of: eye pain, lacrimation, irritation of the mucous membranes, inflammation of the skin, hoarseness, and coughing and sneezing. Severe symptoms consist of: