Content deleted Content added
Line 22:
At the beginning of the war, Germany had the most advanced chemical industry in the world, accounting for more than 80% of the world's dye and chemical production. Although the use of poison gas had been banned in the [[Hague Convention]]s of 1899 and 1907, [[Germany]] turned to this industry for what it hoped would be a decisive weapon to break the deadlock of trench warfare. [[Chlorine]] gas was first used on the battlefield in April 1915 at the [[Second Battle of Ypres]] in [[Belgium]]. Later, [[mustard gas]], [[phosgene]] and other gasses were used. England and France soon followed suit with their own gas weapons. The first defenses against gas were makeshift, mainly rags soaked in [[water]] or [[urine]]. Later, relatively effective [[gas mask]]s were developed, and these greatly reduced the effectiveness of gas as a weapon. Although it sometimes resulted in brief tactical advantages and probably caused over 1,000,000 casualties, gas seems to have had no significant effect on the course of the war. It only added immeasurable suffering to an already horrific conflict.
| |||