Weapons
Poison gas
The use of toxic chemicals as weapons, first on a large scale in the First World War, when chlorine, phosgene and mustard gas were all used. Estimates run to about 90,000 deaths and 1.3 million casualties, only 3 to 3.5% of the war's total; unlike most weapons, gas could be countered with measures such as gas masks.
In the ArsenalMentioned in
- Chapter IV Deadlock Overview§2 The Western Front: From Neuve Chapelle to Loos§3 Second Ypres and the First Gas Attack
- Chapter VI The Year of Revolutions §6 Russia's Summer: Kerensky's Offensive, the July Days and Kornilov§10 Baghdad, Beersheba and Jerusalem
- Chapter VII The Last Gamble §3 Operation Michael: The Kaiser's Battle
- Chapter VIII The Reckoning and the Remaking §3 The Treaty of Versailles
- Chapter X The Machinery of War §2 Artillery: The True Killer§3 Poison Gas: The Fear and the Figures