The first reported use of gas was by the Germans on the eastern front on 3-Jan-1915. It was a tearing agent dispersed by artillery shell. The first use on the western front came several months later on 22-Apr-1915 at the village of Langemarck near Ypres. At 1700 hours the Germans released a 5 mile wide cloud of chlorine gas from some 520 cylinders (168 tons of the chemical). The greenish-yellow cloud drifted over and into the French and Algerian trenches where it caused wide spread panic and death. The age of chemical warfare had begun.
In a message dated 6/8/03 2:40:02 PM Mountain Daylight Time, lists@richardhess.com writes:
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20030607/FCMALL//?query=heather+mallick
I read the article.
1. Ordinary incendiary bombs are weapons of mass destruction, too. Perhaps Ms. Mallick never heard of the Battle of Britain. Actually, the first 20th century use of chemical weapons was in WWI with the use of mustard gas, probably first used by the Germans, because its use was promoted by Haber.
. . .
Ruth
Ruth Weiner, Ph. D.
ruthweiner@aol.com