The gas was used in September 1917 in Ypres on the French soldiers. But however the gasses were not first used by Germans but the French were the ones who made the chemicals and saved them for a last resort. But the Germans took the idea and used it before they could. The mustard gas was the most deadly chemical in the war. Although Chlorine Gas was strong, it only injures people, but Mustard gas was made to kill, and it can remain active for up to 3 weeks in wet soil. The gases were shot by cannons in canisters but the mustard gas was so powerful it had to be shot with a small amount of gas in an artillery shell and wq
Protection Against Poison Gas-
Some of the protection used against poison gas were called Gas mask. This was a mask that covered your entire face shielding it from the terrible gas. As mean as the Germans were in the war, they were very loving owners for their canine companions. So the Germans invented a gas mask to protect furry friend from this killer in the sky. Another shield against the gas was an oxygen mask, which covers your nose and mouth. But cannot protect your face so you may get blisters or become blind. Making these masks a good thing to have in the trench with you.
Treatment of poison gas-
The Germans invented poison gas and while they were using it, the Allied troops found a cure by going pee on a rag and wiping it all over the infected area of their bodies. These pads were held against their faces until they got out of the gas. Other troops thought that using a handkerchief, a sock, body belt with some bicarbonate soda which they thought was better than using a pad full of pee.
Responses to the Poison Gas-
The deadly chemicals caused a lot of deaths, and fatal injuries. In response to the German Gas warfare the Americans set up an organization called the U.S Army Chemical Corps regiment. This is a bunch of infantry soldiers trained to fight in gas warfare. Which was formed after America entered WWI. And was made because of the surprising success of chemical attacks. The Americans were not alone, the British government made a chemical trooper regiment during the war also, but they used the gas instead of guns.
Effects of Poison Gas-
The name of the German poison gas in English is “Mustard Gas.” This can cause severe blisters that can actually kill you. (The picture below shows a British soldier infected by poison gas). The Mustard Gas was a very deadly weapon for both the user and the ones it was used on. Because it was dangerous enough to kill 15000 men in 15 minutes.And not only that it can blind you, therefore you will not see for the rest of your life, making your life a colorless hell. And the last effect is the nastiest of them all. Coughing to death, the gas choked most of the soldiers to death; this was the most common death of Mustard gas. Then there was chlorine gas which can kill you but is not as deadly, if you are hit by this gas it will make your life miserable, it pretty much tortures you for a week.
Atomic Bombs of WWII
Hiroshima
The first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima Japan. The date was August 6, 1945 and the time was 8:16 am. The bomb was nicknamed “Little Boy” and the explosion reached 1,900 feet above courtyard of Shima hospital. The explosion was the equivalent of 12,500 tons of TNT. Within minutes after the bombing 100,000 people died and Hiroshima was not even a military target. In Hiroshima for every one soldier there were six civilians. In Hiroshima there were 76,000 buildings and structures and after the bombings only 6,000 were intact. 48,000 of the 76,000 were completely destroyed and more than 40,000 more people died because of the radiation poisoning and other diseases related to radiation.
Nagasaki
This is the second bombing, and this one was far worse. The bomb dropped on Nagasaki was called “FAT MAN” because it was almost two times larger than “Little Boy.” Fat man was dropped on the August 9,1945at 11:02 am. Fat man explosion reached 1,650 feet in the air but, it was more powerful. It was bigger than little boy and had the equivalent of 22,000 tons of modern age TNT. This bomb also fell out of the Enola gay.In the bombing 70,000 men, women, and children were all killed immediately and 140,000 died within five years after the bombing. Contribution to success in World War II
I personally believe that the bombs should have been dropped because without the dropping them we would have lost thousands of more men and could have possibly lost that half of the war. But it did cost a lot of Japanese lives. Also if we didn’t develop the Atom bomb, the Japanese could bomb us and the war would have continued. Also if we invaded the Japanese homeland we risked losing one million men.
The Manhattan Project
This project of developing atomic super weapons was planned since World War I. The project took place in 30 different locations across U.S.A, Canada, and England. All three nations feared the Nazi’s were working with nuclear weapons or worst… Ahead of them doing so. The Manhattan project employed 130,000 people and cost the U.S $2 billion, which is equivalent to $22 billion in 2010. Also lots of famous people were involved with the Manhattan project including Dwight D. Eisenhower, Herbert Hoover, and Albert Einstein.
Quotes
"During his recitation of the relevant facts, I had been conscious of a feeling of depression and so I voiced to him my grave misgivings, first on the basis of my belief that Japan was already defeated and that dropping the bomb was completely unnecessary, and secondly because I thought that our country should avoid shocking world opinion by the use of a weapon whose employment was, I thought, no longer mandatory as a measure to save American lives. It was my belief that Japan was, at that very moment, seeking some way to surrender with a minimum loss of 'face'. The Secretary was deeply perturbed by my attitude..."
- Dwight Eisenhower
"...the Japanese were prepared to negotiate all the way from February 1945...up to and before the time the atomic bombs were dropped; ...if such leads had been followed up, there would have been no occasion to drop the [atomic] bombs."