Poison gas during WWI may not have been responsible for the highest number of deaths, but it was one of the most feared weapons either side possessed. The machine gun held the record by the end of the war for being responsible for the most kills but it killed in a much faster way than gas did. Also soldiers had bunkers and trenches in which they could hide from the flying bullets of the machine gun, this was not the case with gas attacks. When attacked with gas the only way a soldier could protect himself and hope to survive was to rely on the crude gas masks of the day, if these masks failed to do their job the soldier would be doomed to a long, slow, and painful death.[1]
The first couple uses of gas in the war were not of the deadly variety. The first use was when the French in August of 1914, as a way to slow down the advancing Germans used grenades filled with xylem bromide this chemical worked like a tear gas and was used to inhibit the fighting ability of the Germans than it was to kill them. The Germans first use of gas was similar to the French in that it was not a lethal gas. In October of 1914 the Germans used shells filled with a chemical that caused fits of uncontrollable sneezing on the French. This again was to simply make it harder for the French to fight than it was to directly cause casualties. These uses were during a time in the war when the fighting was still mobile, once the stagnant nature of trench warfare set in it led to the use of any kind of weapon that a side thought might be able to knock out the others front line, in many the sides turned to deadly poison gas.[1]
The Germans were the first to use a gas designed to directly kill in battle. Their first attack was in April of 1915. They used pressurized cylinders to release a cloud of chlorine gas that moved over the French lines. Mistaken by the French for a smoke screen, once the gas reached the French lines it had devastating affects causing the French soldiers to abandon their position, giving the Germans an easy victory. This attack opened the door now for the Allies to begin to use gas. The first Allied use of gas was by the British in September of 1915. The attack was very similar to the Germans attack. They used pressurized cylinders to deliver the chlorine gas in a cloud. On this attempt though on some sections on the front lines the wind changed direction causing 2,000 British casualties. Changing winds became a factor throughout gas attacks on both sides throughout 1915. Soon chlorine was not the only gas being used. Phosgene and mustard gas were also begging to be used. The first use of mustard gas was in September of 1917 when it was used by the Germans against the Russians along the eastern front.[1]
By the end of the war Germany was first in the amount of gas used in attacks. The Germans were followed by France and Britain behind them.[1]
[1] History Learning Site, "Poison Gas and World War One"
The first couple uses of gas in the war were not of the deadly variety. The first use was when the French in August of 1914, as a way to slow down the advancing Germans used grenades filled with xylem bromide this chemical worked like a tear gas and was used to inhibit the fighting ability of the Germans than it was to kill them. The Germans first use of gas was similar to the French in that it was not a lethal gas. In October of 1914 the Germans used shells filled with a chemical that caused fits of uncontrollable sneezing on the French. This again was to simply make it harder for the French to fight than it was to directly cause casualties. These uses were during a time in the war when the fighting was still mobile, once the stagnant nature of trench warfare set in it led to the use of any kind of weapon that a side thought might be able to knock out the others front line, in many the sides turned to deadly poison gas.[1]
The Germans were the first to use a gas designed to directly kill in battle. Their first attack was in April of 1915. They used pressurized cylinders to release a cloud of chlorine gas that moved over the French lines. Mistaken by the French for a smoke screen, once the gas reached the French lines it had devastating affects causing the French soldiers to abandon their position, giving the Germans an easy victory. This attack opened the door now for the Allies to begin to use gas. The first Allied use of gas was by the British in September of 1915. The attack was very similar to the Germans attack. They used pressurized cylinders to deliver the chlorine gas in a cloud. On this attempt though on some sections on the front lines the wind changed direction causing 2,000 British casualties. Changing winds became a factor throughout gas attacks on both sides throughout 1915. Soon chlorine was not the only gas being used. Phosgene and mustard gas were also begging to be used. The first use of mustard gas was in September of 1917 when it was used by the Germans against the Russians along the eastern front.[1]
By the end of the war Germany was first in the amount of gas used in attacks. The Germans were followed by France and Britain behind them.[1]
[1] History Learning Site, "Poison Gas and World War One"