Global impact of chemical warfare agents used before and after 1945

Publisher Summary The use of toxic chemicals against humankind is as old as any warfare conflict. The use of the poisoned arrow against man—not animal—can be considered as the beginning of chemical warfare and would be characterized as the intentional use of chemicals. At the very beginning, chemical warfare was more closely connected with fire. ‘‘Greek fire’’ was an excellent naval weapon because it would float on water and set fire to the wooden ships. There are other examples from history: For example, toxic smoke was used in China in 2000 BC. In a region of Bohemia, a ‘‘form’’ of chemical weapons (CW) was used as early as 600 years ago. There were some attempts to prohibit CWs by international agreement or law. Most of the early attempts were bilateral or unilateral agreements directed at the use of poisons. These included the 1675 agreement between France and Germany, signed in Strasbourg, to ban the use of poison bullets. The intentional use of CWs for military purposes can be found in both global and local conflicts. A typical example is the warning ‘‘Gas! Gas!’’ During WWI, many chemicals were used including mustard, asphyxiating, and irritant agents. The terrible casualties of CWs used during WWI, and the dangerous consequences on humans and the environment, led to the signing in June 17, 1925 of the ‘‘Geneva Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous and other Gases, and Bacteriological Methods of Warfare.’’ This is recognized as one of the unique and famous international treaties on the prohibition of CWs. After WWII, the main employment of CWs is recorded in 1961–1972 when the US Army used defoliants. The herbicide Agent Orange was used during the Vietnam War and led to the injury of more than one million Vietnamese and Americans.