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The use of chemical and biological weapons throughout history
One of the most macabre inventions of human beings
In recent days we have seen with concern, not only the resurgence of war and the appeasement of human brotherhood; but the rebirth of biological and chemical weapons, in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which puts a permanent check on the peace of the West and world peace.
The danger of chemical-biological warfare endangers the human species, just as a nuclear war would, which in turn would endanger the life of our planet Earth.
chemical and biological weapons, they could create genetic malformations, leave uninhabitable spaces on the planet, develop lethal viruses or bacterial diseases, which end up affecting all individuals on the planet.
Even though there are treaties prohibiting these weapons, the danger of their use is latent in every war and can generate disastrous consequences for humanity.
The role of violence and war on planet Earth
When we review the history of the world and the human race, it is difficult not to notice the role of violence in the development of life, both human and animal; along with the role it has in the development of societies.
The first animals that evolved within oceanic waters, about 500 million years ago, developed skeletons and shells as defensive systems; since not having this natural defense was the difference between living or dying.
Some developed large fangs and/or powerful teeth, with which they ensured the necessary arsenal to access vital food.
Over time, some animals developed poisons and toxic chemicals, which were a spectacular defense against predators, and in turn, the spearhead with which they obtained food, attacking other animals that could be easy prey.
When the first human beings began to populate the earth, they also used violence; Some hypotheses have been created, such as those of the “Killer Monkey”, by Raymond Dart, where he pointed out that bipedalism could have its origin in the struggles between the first hominids.
The motives of the war have always been the same, to control territories rich in water and food, to favor the development of life; and later, control routes or territories that had important raw materials, mineral resources, or other types of wealth.
To make war you have to have weapons, and the best weapons are those that facilitate the greatest destruction of the enemies, with the least possible effort; In this sense, the development of science has played an important role in the growth of world weapons.
One of the most harmful, but also the most efficient ways of destroying enemies and entire peoples are chemical and biological weapons, which represent a real danger to the human species.
What are the differences between biological and chemical weapons?
Although they seem similar concepts, biological and chemical weapons are different.
Throughout history, biological weapons have played an important role, whether consciously or not, dating back several centuries.
However, chemical weapons (as we know them today) have a recent history, since they are the product of the Industrial Revolution (18th-19th centuries), with the First World War being the first scene where they were used scandalously.
Biological weapons refer to pathogenic organisms or toxins, to wage war, making the population sick, damaging their land, water, air, and the entire environment.
Among these types of weapons we can count:
Virus.
Plague.
Anthrax and other bacteria.
All kinds of diseases including venereal.
For their part, chemical weapons are toxic agents created by manipulating and combining chemical agents, to neutralize, numb, intoxicate, or kill enemies or entire populations. The most lethal are those that act on the nervous system.
Among the chemical weapons we can mention:
Sarin gas.
Mustard gas.
Chlorine gas.
Orange agent.
Napalm.
Learn how chemical and biological weapons have been used throughout history
Biological weapons in ancient times
Although it seems like a contemporary concept, chemical and biological weapons have been used at various times in history, due to their lethal potential together with the advantage of placing attacking troops at less risk.
Since the Stone Age, the first human beings used the poison and toxins of different plants and animals, to hunt prey, which would later be the food of these first human groups; although they could be used in conflicts between them.
Later, when the first civilizations settled in Egypt, Mesopotamia, India, China, the knowledge of toxic plants and animals was deeper, reaching the point of using flammable mixtures in war conflicts, as was done in Greece and Rome, later.
These flammable mixtures were used to suffocate the enemy, however, the "Fire of Archimedes", consisted of a mixture of various flammable elements; It could enter the range of a chemical weapon, but used as a flamethrower, not to make the population sick.
For the fourteenth century in Europe, one of the deadliest pests in history emerged, known as the "Black Death", which owes its origin to the pathogens of some rodents, shipped on merchant ships to Europe, from China.
However, one of those responsible for this plague was the Asian Tartar tribes, who used plague-carrying corpses to dump into cities, into water supplies, and sicken the population, in their attempts to conquer Europe.
During the fifteenth century, when the conquest of the American continent was taking place, large masses of aborigines from the "New World" succumbed to the numerous diseases from which Europeans were immune.
This is an effective use of the disease as a biological weapon, but not deliberate like the previous examples.
20th century, the century of chemical weapons
The First World War
The 20th century could be considered as the century of chemical weapons, since when the long peace was broken in 1914 with the First World War, asphyxiating, nerve or blistering gases was one of the main protagonists of the conflict.
These gases would be direct children of the Industrial Revolution, produced in the last decades of the 19th century.
One of the most destructive gases was Mustard Gas, which spread panic on the Belgian and French battlefields, in addition to chlorine and phosgene.
Their use was responsible for more than one million people affected, with nearly one hundred thousand deaths from these weapons, which is why it was decided not to use these weapons in war anymore.
The Second World War
During this war conflict, there were no major attacks as in the First World War, however, the Nazi scientists who were the most advanced at the time, developed very powerful nerve gases.
The first of them was the Tabun gas discovered in 1936, but two years later, it would be isolated from the first gas, the so-called Sarin gas, much more malleable and powerful.
By the end of World War II in 1944, Soman gas was discovered, which at the end of the war would be studied in the United States, developing antidotes against these gases, but also new weapons with them.
The Cold War and the development of new chemical agents
The chemical agents developed during World War II, Tabun, Sarin, Soman, are classified by the Americans as "Agents G"; however, at the end of this conflict, another group of chemical weapons was studied.
These toxic gases are called "V", much more powerful than "Agents G", being "AMITON", one of the best known chemical agents. Theoretically, this chemical would be an insecticide, but it would be used as a chemical weapon as well.
In the 1960s, "VX" gases were developed, which have application as a nerve agent, are considered a weapon of mass destruction.
This development of known chemical weapons was studied and produced by the United States.
However, the secrecy behind the great iron curtain that enveloped the Soviet Union means that their studies on this matter are not rigorously known, although it is known that they studied and developed chemical and biological weapons at the time.
West Germans and chemical weapons
West Germany in the 1960s experienced suspicions of chemical warfare, which could be started by the Soviets; since they knew that in that territory, studies and weapons of all kinds were developed.
Some declassified documents from the time show how West Germans and Americans were in talks for the United States to provide such weapons, although the request was denied at the time.
However, the Germans continued the studies on their own; and they even tried to make drills and preparations for a possible attack, which fortunately never happened.
The United States in Vietnam, Agent Orange, and Napalm
During the Vietnam War, which pitted the United States against this Asian country; Chemical agents were used that even today continue to leave consequences in the territories and their inhabitants.
This is Agent Orange, which was responsible for deforesting several kilometers of Vietnamese jungle, causing, in turn, numerous problems in the waters, plants, animals and human beings.
Agent Orange is carcinogenic, it will not kill people directly like nerve gases, but it will cause cancer, leading to injury and death from the disease.
Another chemical agent used by the United States in this war was Napalm.
This chemical agent does not act like other chemical weapons, suffocating or in the nervous system, but has the ability to set everything on fire, just like the "Fire of Archimedes", which we referred to earlier.
Treaties against biological and chemical weapons
The first attempt to prevent this type of weapon in warfare was at the Hague Conference of 1899, when it sought to ban any projectile that included chemicals or toxic gases.
However, during the First World War, as we have already seen, toxic gases were used, which would be prohibited by the 1925 Geneva Protocol, which would not be signed by the United States until 1974; but that would not be respected by the signatory countries.
These European countries used chemical weapons in different conflicts with countries of the so-called Third World.
By 1971 in Geneva, it was determined that biological weapons were prohibited, being the first and only treaty in the world, which made any type of weapon illegal.
The Chemical Weapons Convention in 1990, made the industrialized countries agree to the prohibition of manufacturing, production, storage, weapons and chemical agents, being an agreement ratified by the UN countries, including the United States and Russia.
These treaties prevented several industrial countries from continuing to sell chemical substances that could be used to manufacture these weapons.
However, chemical and biological weapons continue to be a problem today, as evidenced by the current war between Russia and Ukraine.
