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 * WWI and Vietnam Chemical Warfare By:Ryan W **

Throughout history, science has been used to kill mankind. It started with the sword, then switched to gun powder, which then led to chemical weapons, and even nuclear weapons. I have chosen two wars, World War One and the Vietnam War to see how science improves throughout this time span. WWI, also known as the Great War, was the sixth deadliest war in all of history. It was very brutal, twenty million people died. There were two alliances; the Central Powers, which consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey, and the Allied Powers, which consisted of France, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan, and from 1917, the United States. The spark of the war was because of the assassination of Australian Archduke Francis Ferdinand. There were a few long trip causes that helped brew the war too, a good way to remember is they spelled MAIN. M for militarism, A for alliances, I for imperialism, N for nationalism.

For most of the war these two opposing armies dug seven foot deep trenches that are four-hundred sixty-five miles long. This is known as Trench Warfare, during trench warfare both allies used deadly gases made to kill. Some of the gases they used were tear gas, mustard gas, poison gas, and much more. These gases were chemically made from a lot of different chemicals. Chemicals like chlorine, hydrogen sulfide, mustard, cyanide, and more. Chemical engineers used these chemicals to make bombs/gases for there side. They would shoot these chemicals out of a cannon, and when they hit, it would explode and let the gas out. Gases would kill or significantly harm the target(s) with ease. Soldiers in the trenches were equipped with full clothed suits, with gas masks to protect them from the harmful chemicals. But sometimes their suits failed them so they got major side effects. Like death, burns of the skin, irritation of the lungs and eyes, inflamed lungs, choked, and more. Each of the gases had a unique effect on what they did and how. Tear gas was invented by the French used to blind the victims. Tear gas is composed of pepper spray, cyanocarbon, dibenzoxazepine, and acetophenone. Chlorine gas was invented by the Germans to choke the enemy. Chlorine gas in made from chlorine of course, and sodium chloride. Mustard gas was the most lethal of all gases invented by the Germans, its effect is very fatal if not killed immediately. Mustard gas is related to the chemical cytotoxic, which blisters your skin and lungs. Now the Vietnam War was very different from WWI as they had better weapons and more advanced technology. Starting in 1955 with the French against Vietcong, in 1965 United States began deployment and the use of more advanced weapons started. Lasting nineteen and a half years, this brutal war was mainly between North and South Vietnam. Napalm had a huge effect in this intense war, used in flamethrowers and bombs. Napalm is a number of flammable liquids, a combination of petroleum, benzene, polystyrene, and gasoline in a thick jellied form made to stick to it's target. The flamethrower had a hose and a backpack, the backpack which held the napalm or other gases and the hose carried the gases through it, at the end of the barrel is where it ignites and shoots out to its target. Taking it to the skies there were two chemicals sent down, the air-fuel bomb, and the napalm bomb. The air-fuel bomb was more of a chemical vapor composed of gasoline particles mixing with oxygen. When they mix, a fuse is lit and a huge explosion takes place. The napalm bomb consists of napalm of course, thermite,chlorine trifluoride, or white phosphorus. This bomb is designed to start fires on contact. There was another chemical substance used in Vietnam. Its called Agent Orange. This chemical was made by the United States meant to be a defoliant to take the jungle away, but this chemical caused death and cancer. The 2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic Acid used to make Agent Orange, was discovered to be contaminated with 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin, which is a extremly toxic dioxin compound. This was not meant to be a weapon, but killed just the same. Now both of these wars were a little different partially due to the prohibiting of gases after World War One and the technology upgrades of Vietnam. The scientists worked hard to get their methods exact to help with their country. Everything dealing with wars are mainly made from science. Chemicals, gases, and guns all made by chemists and engineers. Its a shame that science is used in bad ways when it could be used for way better things. Our technology and learning of science gets better each day working on weapons, even if we should concentrate on the benefits of science, not the destruction. The science hasn't really improved that much from World War One to Vietnam, killing is killing, but the accuracy of delivering these chemicals has improved greatly.

**Works Cited** Paxman, J.; Harris, R., //A Higher Form of Killing : The Secret Story of Chemical and Biological Warfare//, Hill and Wang, New York:1982, pp. 24, 32.

“**Agent Orange.**" //Encyclopædia Britannica//. //Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition//.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2012. Web. 2 May 2012.

"**Vietnam War.**" //Encyclopædia Britannica//. //Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition//.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2012. Web. 2 May 2012.

"**World War I.**" //Encyclopædia Britannica//. //Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition//.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2012. Web. 2 May 2012.

"**napalm.**" //Encyclopædia Britannica//. //Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition//.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2012. Web. 2 May 2012.