Poison Gas Warfare Canadian History 1201

Poison Gas in World War I The use of poison gas in WWI was a major military innovation The “gas of choice” was Mustard Gas The killing capacity of gas was limited – only 3% of combat deaths were due to gas

Poison Gas in World War I The proportion of non-fatal casualties was high Gas remained the soldiers greatest fear

Poison Gas in World War I Germany was the first side to employ gas techniques They used Chlorine Gas On April 22, 1915 Germany deployed 160 tonnes north of Ypres At 5:00pm an easterly breeze blew the gray- green gas cloud towards the Allied soldiers

Poison Gas in World War I The Germans were weary of the gas so they did not take the opportunity to advance A British Official said: “90 men died from gas poisoning in the trenches; of the 207 brought to the nearest dressing station, 26 died almost immediately and 12 after long suffering”

The Effects of the Gas The skin of victims of mustard gas blistered, the eyes became very sore and they began to vomit Mustard gas caused internal and external bleeding and attacked the bronchial tubes, stripping off the mucous membrane This was extremely painful and soldiers had to be strapped to their beds

The Effects of the Gas It usually took a person four or five weeks to die of mustard gas poisoning Nurse Vera Brittain said “I wish those people who talk about going on with this war whatever is costs could see the soldiers suffering from mustard gas poisoning. Great mustard-coloured blisters, blind eyes, all sticky and stuck together, always fighting for breath, with voices a mere whisper, saying that their throats are closings and they know they will choke”

How was the Gas Battled? The first countermeasure of gas attacks was for soldiers to urinate on a piece of cloth and hold it over their nose and mouth Eventually successful gas masks were invented which filtered out the gas filled air Many died before a fully successful mask was created