On May 25, 1915, the Second Battle of Ypres of World War I ended.
During these almost one-month battles, the use of chemical weapons began. We recall that chemical shells were also fired against the Bulgarian army during the defense of Dojran in 1918. Only thanks to the engineering genius of Gen. Vladimir Vazov and the gas masks provided by the Allies were the casualties among the Bulgarian soldiers minimal.
On April 22, 1915, the German army launched a surprise attack, releasing chlorine-based poison gas.
This was the first use of chemical weapons on the Western Front. Despite initial success, the Germans were repulsed in their attempt to break through the Allied lines.
Thus, the first known use of chemical weapons is believed to have been at the Battle of Ypres on 22 April 1915, in which chlorine was used very effectively by German troops, but this battle was not the only one and far from the first.
After the start of World War I, the conflict quickly became positional. Due to the large number of troops opposing each other on both sides, it was impossible to organize an effective breakthrough, the opponents began to look for other ways out of the situation. One of them was the use of chemical weapons.
Chemical weapons were first used by the French. In August 1914, they used tear gas, the so-called ethyl bromoacetate. By itself, this gas cannot lead to a fatal outcome, but it causes a strong burning sensation in the eyes and mucous membranes of the mouth and nose of enemy soldiers, due to which they lose orientation in space and do not provide effective resistance to the enemy. Before an attack, French soldiers threw grenades filled with this poisonous substance at the enemy. The only drawback of the ethyl bromoacetate used was its limited quantity, so it was soon replaced by chloroacetone.
After analyzing the success of the French, resulting from the use of chemical weapons, the German command decided in October 1914 to develop its own chemical weapon.
Fritz Haber personally supervised the production of chlorine - a man who later became famous for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
The only drawback of the use of chlorine was its rich green color, due to which it was possible to make an unexpected attack after the battle of Ypres. Later, the Entente armies stocked up on sufficient means of protection against a chemical attack.
It all started on April 22, 1915. Near the village of Langemark, the German army used bottles filled with 180 tons of liquefied chlorine. They opened the bottles and a yellowish toxic cloud began to emerge from them. From Ypres, it headed towards the French and British positions located between the Isère Canal and the village of Pulkapelle. The effect of the chlorine was immediate, BNT recalls.
It caused nausea in the soldiers, who could not breathe and fell on their comrades from the rear positions. This caused panic among the Allies. Between 2,000 and 5,000 people died.
The wounded were nearly 10,000. This attack had been prepared for years by the German army. It marked the beginning of the mass use of toxic chemicals created thanks to progress in industry.
The use of these new substances for military purposes revived hopes in the general staffs for an exit from "trench warfare" and for more mobility in the conflict.
After using chlorine in the Battle of Ypres, the Germans did not stop there, but used it at least three more times, including against the Russian fortress of Osovets, where in May 1915 about 90 soldiers died instantly, more than 40 died in the hospital wards. But despite the frightening effect that followed the use of gas, the Germans were unable to capture the fortress. The gas practically destroyed all life in the area, plants and many animals died, most of the food supplies were destroyed, while Russian soldiers received horrific injuries, those who were lucky enough to survive remained disabled for life.
Over the next 3 years of the world conflict, Germany, France and Great Britain developed their arsenal using bromine, chlorine, arsenic and mustard gas. Thus, the dark glory of poison gas entered collective history. They called this war "the dirty war". According to Olivier Lepic, a doctor of history and international politics, quoted by the French channel France24, the use of chemical weapons on the front began in 1915. with 3,500 tons.
In 1916 it was already 15,000 tons, to reach 35,000 tons in 1917 and finally 59,000 tons in 1918. 100 years after the war, there are still 230 tons of ammunition in France that have not been processed.
The conflict continues to contaminate French soil. According to the French Interior Ministry, 10 to 20 tons of chemical munitions have been discovered and collected from battlefields in the north and east of the country. Sometimes they are found by people walking around, says Olivier Lepic.
The First World War was rich in technical innovations, but perhaps none of them acquired such an ominous halo as gas weapons.
The poisonous substances of war have become a symbol of senseless slaughter, and all who have been subjected to a chemical attack will forever remember the horror of the deadly clouds creeping into the trenches.