8.1 A Brief History of Weapons
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8.1.3 Chemical Weapons and Combat Chemical Agents
Chemical weapons are military means, the casualty-producing capabilities of which
are based on the toxic effect of chemical agents and protein toxins on the human
body. CW are used for mass destruction or incapacitation of population and military
personnel of the enemy, as well as to contaminate the area, military equipment, and
other material resources.
Advantages of chemical weapons include their ability to selectively affect
manpower without destroying supplies of the enemy. Modern concept of application of chemical weapons by a potential enemy suggests the possibility of using
combat chemical agents separately as well as in combination with regular, nuclear,
and other weapons.
The experts have adopted a classification of toxic agents that form the basis
of chemical weapons based on tactical purpose and physiological effects on the
human body. In terms of tactical purposes, toxic substances are divided into lethal,
temporarily incapacitating, irritating, and training.
Based on physiological effect on the body, the following CA types are identified:
1. Nerve—GA (tabun), GB (sarin), GD (soman), VX.
2. Skin-blistering—N (technical mustard), HD (distilled mustard). NT and HQ
(mustard recipes), HN (nitrogen mustard).
3. Common toxic—AC (hydrocyanic acid), CK (chlorocyan).
4. Choking—CG (phosgene).
5. Irritating—CN (chloroacetophenone), DM (adamsite), CS, CR.
Based on the speed of the onset of the destructive action, there are quick CA that do
not have a period of latent action (GB, GD, AC, AK, CK, CS, CR) and slow CA that
have a period of latent action (VX, HD, CG, BZ).
Based on the duration of persistence of the destructive action, lethal CA are divided
into two groups:
1. Persistent CA that retain their local destructive effect for several hours or days
(VX, GD, HD).
2. Non-persistent CA, the destructive effect of which is preserved for several dozens
of minutes after use (AC, CG).
Below we will provide the history of development of these weapons. At the end of
this section, we will examine its main disadvantages and limitations in detail.
Historically, toxic gases were initially used for fairly peaceful purposes—to
combat blood-sucking parasites. Living rooms in China and Egypt were fumigated
for this purpose. China was the first country to modify this household invention to
be used in warfare.
Texts of the fourth century BC contain a specific example of using toxic gases to
prevent enemy from undermining fortress walls. The defenders pumped smoke from
the burning mustard seeds and wormwood into the underground tunnels with the help
741
8.1.3 Chemical Weapons and Combat Chemical Agents
Chemical weapons are military means, the casualty-producing capabilities of which
are based on the toxic effect of chemical agents and protein toxins on the human
body. CW are used for mass destruction or incapacitation of population and military
personnel of the enemy, as well as to contaminate the area, military equipment, and
other material resources.
Advantages of chemical weapons include their ability to selectively affect
manpower without destroying supplies of the enemy. Modern concept of application of chemical weapons by a potential enemy suggests the possibility of using
combat chemical agents separately as well as in combination with regular, nuclear,
and other weapons.
The experts have adopted a classification of toxic agents that form the basis
of chemical weapons based on tactical purpose and physiological effects on the
human body. In terms of tactical purposes, toxic substances are divided into lethal,
temporarily incapacitating, irritating, and training.
Based on physiological effect on the body, the following CA types are identified:
1. Nerve—GA (tabun), GB (sarin), GD (soman), VX.
2. Skin-blistering—N (technical mustard), HD (distilled mustard). NT and HQ
(mustard recipes), HN (nitrogen mustard).
3. Common toxic—AC (hydrocyanic acid), CK (chlorocyan).
4. Choking—CG (phosgene).
5. Irritating—CN (chloroacetophenone), DM (adamsite), CS, CR.
Based on the speed of the onset of the destructive action, there are quick CA that do
not have a period of latent action (GB, GD, AC, AK, CK, CS, CR) and slow CA that
have a period of latent action (VX, HD, CG, BZ).
Based on the duration of persistence of the destructive action, lethal CA are divided
into two groups:
1. Persistent CA that retain their local destructive effect for several hours or days
(VX, GD, HD).
2. Non-persistent CA, the destructive effect of which is preserved for several dozens
of minutes after use (AC, CG).
Below we will provide the history of development of these weapons. At the end of
this section, we will examine its main disadvantages and limitations in detail.
Historically, toxic gases were initially used for fairly peaceful purposes—to
combat blood-sucking parasites. Living rooms in China and Egypt were fumigated
for this purpose. China was the first country to modify this household invention to
be used in warfare.
Texts of the fourth century BC contain a specific example of using toxic gases to
prevent enemy from undermining fortress walls. The defenders pumped smoke from
the burning mustard seeds and wormwood into the underground tunnels with the help