Nerve Gas Part I

Should Have Had the Chicken Biriani Instead

I'm taking a break from theology and related philosophical conundrums to consider a topic rarely discussed: Nerve Gas.  

Today, the word GAS came into my fevered, tortured brain. For what reason, I have no cogent idea. Regardless, I regarded the intrusion as a sign. I'm at a loss as to where this random thought came from. A cluster of neurons firing in concert directed my mind to spit forth this word. Mayhap, an imbalance of neurotransmitters was to blame. The originator may have been the dodgy vindaloo the night before. There is little doubt that said comestible wreaked horrendous physiological havoc. The clue is ingrained in the name of the very curry itself! May Woden furnish me with frozen suppositories and give me strength to leave the bathroom. I digress. The upshot: Regardless, the very word GAS inspired me to put pen to paper and write furiously about the topic of Nerve Gas. I have already put forth a post concerning the use of gas in the Great War. It is undoubtedly a capital idea to read that post first.   

Mayhap, before considering the subject matter of the title, a little recap about the first use of gas in warfare will help.

By late 1914, the Western Front consisted of a double trench system stretching from the Belgian coast to the Swiss border. Defence had become irresistibly strong, and both sides sought ways to break the stalemate and restore mobility. A notable German chemist, Fritz Haber, suggested to the High Command that the impasse could be broken with the use of poisonous asphyxiating gases. Many in the military hierarchy were against its use on moral grounds. But more importantly, Germany was a signatory to an international agreement banning the use of asphyxiating gases in war. However, expediency and the grim reality of the war persuaded the High Command to unleash the 'Devil's Breath'.     

On the 22nd of April 1915 at 5pm, gas cylinders, containing chlorine gas, were opened in the German lines, and a favourable breeze drove the chlorine cloud toward the French and Algerian lines near Ypres in Belgium. Within 10 minutes, 5,700 cylinders released 160 tons of gas. I have considered the consequences of the action elsewhere. Suffice it to say that a 7-mile breach was blasted in the French trench line. This novel form of attack had taken the French completely by surprise. Within minutes, 1,400 soldiers were killed, and many more were injured. Although a success, the Germans were not prepared to exploit the situation to any significant extent, and the gap was quickly plugged by Canadian troops.  Although Haber was hailed as a hero in Germany, the adulation was marred by the suicide of his wife, Clara, who was also a chemist. She begged her husband to abandon the use of poisonous gas, but Haber would not relent, and Clara shot herself through the heart with Haber's military pistol on the 2nd of May 1915.  

Several months post the German attack, the British would reply in kind, again using chlorine. Soon, the belligerents relied on delivering the gas by artillery shell. Other noxious agents would follow, such as phosgene and mustard gas. Although gas was used extensively between April 1915 and the end of the war, casualty rates remained low, with a total death tally involving all combatants of about 100,000. However, many soldiers would suffer long-term effects long after the war had ended.  

Once a major technical innovation had been developed in warfare, it would remain, be improved and would alter the course of warfare in general. This has been the case for the development of tanks, submarines, aircraft, and aircraft carriers. Pandora's box could not be closed, and once discovered and refined, the new weapon would remain as an integral part of war. Gas, however, is the exception to the rule, well, mostly anyway.

Poison Gas Development 2.0

During the late 1930s, German chemists were conducting research on a group of chemicals called organophosphates. This research focused mainly on developing more effective insecticides to protect crops. One chemical was manufactured under the quaint designation Tabun (a German word for Taboo). This chemical proved to be highly effective as an insecticide. In fact, it proved too effective and was deemed too toxic for use. However, the German chemists were quick to discern that it might have a role in warfare and quickly reported this finding to the German authorities. The Germans had discovered a particularly potent agent soon to be called 'Nerve Gas'. This class of chemical had a different mode of action compared to the chemicals used in the Great War. These older agents acted by destroying lung tissue and/or causing burns. First off, Tabun was highly effective at very low doses. As little as 0.01 mg/kg is considered lethal. Also, it did not require inhalation to exert an effect. This chemical could be readily absorbed through the skin, rendering conventional gas masks ineffective. The Germans quickly realised the gas's potential as a weapon of war. Further, more effective agents were soon discovered (Sarin). By the time hostilities began in September 1939, the Germans had small stocks of these agents. As the war progressed, the Germans amassed great quantities of these nerve agents that could be easily dispensed by bomb or artillery barrage. So, the burning question is: Why didn't the Germans release these gases upon the enemy? This is interesting in view of Hitler's obsession with Wunderwaffe. This question, along with others, will be addressed in Part II.

Again, this post is turning into a 'Long Read', and thusly, in my infinite wisdom, I have decided to divide the subject matter into two posts to avoid 'Reader Fatigue'. Therefore, the conclusion will follow on the morrow. This follow-up will be a thrilling instalment filled with a personal anecdote, and a few hot Gypo flamenco dancers thrown in to tempt the lurid imagination of my readers. Hola!

Stay tuned for more informative material interspersed with insights into my tortured, forever wandering mind, scarcely reigned in and barely controlled by the author. I seek peace, rarely found. Pity me as I seek solace from a mind in churning, roiling turmoil. I seek comfort and freedom through the written word. It is but a temporary release. I crave a peace that is rarely found. Arse, big sore arse.

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