** war and social upheaval: weapons of mass destruction








Warfare Weaponry: Weapons of Mass Destruction


Figure 1.--Chemical weapons were introduced by the Grmans and then widely used by both sides in World War I, but only on milirary targets. The Germans bombed English cities and shelled Paris, but did not use chemical ordinance. As World war II approched, it was widely believed that civilians would be targeted with chenical weapons in another war. Here Hitler Youth boys are training on procedures to follow in case of a chemical attack. The photogragh is dated September 28, 1939, a few weeks after the outbreak of the War. All major combatnt countries had stockpiles of chemical weapons except China, but only Japan used them. And it is no accident that they only used them on China. This is a rare occassion in the history of warfare when most combatants declined to use a devestating weapon. Even Hitler declined to use them, unaware that German chenical weapons were many times more deadly than Allies chemical weapons--the potent secret weapon he so desired.

Weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) are chemical, biologocal and nuclear weapons. Chemical and biological warfare (CBW)is not new to warfare, nuclear weapons of course are. WMDs are capable of killing huge numbers of people, but this is not the key destinguishing characteristics. Military forces like the Huns and Mongols proved themselves capable of mass killing. It is the speed by which this is accomplished that destinguish WMDs. These weapons had been used such ancient times. Rotten or diseased carcases were catapulted into besieged cities. Some times it was inadvertent, such as the spread of disease by Europeans in the Americas. CW was developed by the Germans and first used in World War I. The World War I chemical agents, however, rather primitive. The Germans in the inter-War period began developing much more deasly nerve agents. Biological and chemical weapons, often refrred to as Weaons of Mass Destruction (WMD). became a huge issue during World War II, although usage was limited. The Japanese also had an active program and actually used both biological and chemical agents in china, primarily in China. BW was not used. A whole new category of WMDs were developed during World War II--nuclear weapons. Thus CBW terrified the public before World War II, but were not given much attention in the public mind during the Cold War. It was nuclear weapons that preocupied the public mind.

Definition

Weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) are chemical, biologocal and nuclear weapons. Chemical and biological warfare (CBW)is not new to warfare, nuclear weapons of course are. WMDs are capable of killing huge numbers of people, but this is not the key destinguishing characteristics. Military forces like the Huns and Mongols proved themselves capable of mass killing. It is the speed by which this is accomplished that destinguish WMDs.

Usage

These weapons had been used such ancient times. Rotten or diseased carcases were catapulted into besieged cities. Some times it was inadvertent, such as the spread of disease by Europeans in the Americas. CW was developed by the Germans and first used in World War I. The World War I chemical agents, however, rather primitive. The Germans in the inter-War period began developing much more deasly nerve agents. Biological and chemical weapons, often refrred to as Weaons of Mass Destruction (WMD). became a huge issue during World War II, although usage was limited. The Japanese also had an active program and actually used both biological and chemical agents in china, primarily in China. BW was not used. A whole new category of WMDs were developed during World War II--nuclear weapons. Thus CBW terrified the public before World War II, but were not given much attention in the public mind during the Cold War. It was nuclear weapons that preocupied the public mind.

Individual WMD Weapons


Biological warfare

Unlike chemical and nuclear weapons, there was a long history of biological warfare. While the scientific basis was not understood, the impact of certain actions were. Disease infested corpses wre carapulted into beseiged cities. The British provided Indians blankets used by sick men. Only with the 20th century was the sciebtific basis for these weapons understood. Ciombatant countries devloped biological weapons during World War II, but except for the Japanese did not use them. Thus CBW terrified the public before World War II, but were not given much attention in the public mind during the Cold War. It was nuclear weapons that preocupied the public mind.

Chemical weapons

Chemical weapons were a new branch of weaponry. A renounded German chemisy developed chemical of gas weapons during World War I. If fully exploited, this mightbhave won the War. The Germans did not, howevr, aggressively exploit the furst atacks. And the Allies immediately develooped their own chemical weapons. A range of chemicals were extensively used during the War, including clorine and mustard gas. Various means of delivery were developed. The fact that troops were located in vast trench systems made delivery relatively easy. The Germans developed very deadly nerve gases beginning in the inter-War era. Contrary to expectations, chemical weapons were not widely used in World War II. although the Japanese did use them in China. Large numbers of civilians were killed, but there was minimal impact on the War effort.

Nuclear weapons

Nuclear psyicists in several countries began working on atomic energy before the War. Quite a number were Jews to the extent that German F�hrer Adolf Hiltler called nuclear physics "Jewish phsycics". The Germans were the leaders in this work and among their most important researchers was a female Jewish pysicist whose colleages helped her escape the Reich. After the outbreak of World War II, the focus shifted to weapons research. While Germany led the world in neuclear physics, only the United States had the industrial capacity to actually launch a nuclear weapons project. The German lead caused many of the Jewish scientists to support the Anglo-American effort. The effiort became known as the Manhattan Project which was the largest weapons development program in history. It was initiated by President Roosevelt when work done by German physicists led to concern that the NAZIs might build an atomic bomb. The Germans were limited by the massive industrial requirements of the industry. And Hitler viewed nuclear physics as Jewsish science. The United States did not have the same industrial constraints the Germans faced. The project required about 10 percent if the electrical generating capacity of the United States. That came close to the entire electrical generating capacity of the Reich. The Japanese were also interested in nuclear weapons. The Japanese began mining uranium at Konan, North Korea, which now is the source of the uranium for North Korea's atmoc bombs. The Japanese before the NAZI surrender had the Germans attempt to ship uranium to them by U-boats.

Country Trends

While WMDs have been used since ancient times, it was European countries that began developing sophisticated agents with effective delivery systems. They extensively used CW in World War I. They helped turn tren warfare into a living hell. And beginning in the inter-War period secretky began producing deadly nerve gas. To the surprise of many, CBW was not an important partv of World War II. The Japanese pursued CBW esearch and unlike the Germans actually used them in the War, extensively usung both chenical and biological agents. After a massive research effort, the United Stateswith Britih assistabce developed nucklear weapons. The World War II combatants (except the defeated Axis ciuntries) pursued an extensive resesearch effort. The Soviet Uniin not only conducted research, but priduced vast stockpiles of chemical and biological agents. They were to be used aftr a nuckear strike to completely destroy Anmerican society. Since the War, however, they wre not used by the major countries. The only countries to use these weapons in the post-War era have been Arab countries (Egypt, Iraq, and Syria). The targets have been with the exception of Iraq been fellow Arabs. President Safam Hussein of Iraq not only used chemical weapons on Iraqi Kurds, but on the Iramuans in the deadly Iran-Iraq War (1970s).







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Created: 8:56 PM 9/1/2014
Last updated: 8:57 PM 9/1/2014