Presentazione Trezza mod [modalit compatibilit ]
Transcript of Presentazione Trezza mod [modalit compatibilit ]
Ancient to medieval times
�Chemical weapons have been used for millennia in
the form of poisoned spears and arrows.
�The earliest references to toxic weapons in western
litterature include the Ancient Greek myths (Hercules)
and Homer’s epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey.
�“Laws of Manu” (c. 400 BC) forbids the use of poison
and fire arrows, but advises poisoning food and water.
�During the Peloponnesian war, Spartan forces besieging an
Athenian city placed a mixture of wood, pitch and sulfer under the
walls hoping that the smoke would incapacitate the Athenians.
�One of the earliest reactions to the use of chimical agents was
from Rome, with Roman jurists having been recorded as declaring
“armis bella non venenis geri”, meaning “war is fought with
weapons, not with poisons”.
�In 1672, during his siege of the city of Groningen, the Bishop of
Munster, employed devices intended to produce toxic fumes.
�In 1845 British troops in New Zeland fired shells against Maori
positions containing an unknown type of poison gas from cannon
and mortars. 2
World War I
�The first full-scale deployment of chemical warfare
agents was during the Second Battle of Ypres, April 22,
1915, when the Germans attacked French troops with
chlorine gas. Deaths were light, though casualties
relatively heavy.
�A total 50,965 tons of pulmonary, lachrymatory, and vescicant
agents were deployed by both sides of the conflict. Official
figures declare about 1,176,500 non-fatal casualties and 85,000
fatalities directly caused by chemical warfare agents during the
course of the war. Italy counted 60,000 non-fatal casualties and
5,000 fatalities.
�To this day unxeploded World War I-era chemical ammunition is
still uncovered when the ground is dug in former battle or depot
areas and continue to pose a threat to the civilian population. video
3
Interwar years
�After World War I chemical agents were
occasionally used to subdue populations and
suppress rebellion.
�It is alleged that the British used chemical agents
in 1920 against the Arab and Kurdish opponents to
the British occupation
�The Bolsheviks are reported having employed
poison gas in 1921.
�During the Rif War in Spanish Morocco in 1921-1927,
combined Spanish and French forces dropped mustard gas
bombs in an attempt to put down the Berber rebellion.
�In 1935, Italian general Rodolfo Graziani used mustard
gas during the invasion in Ethiopia.
4
World War II
�Despite article 171 of the Versailles Treaty, and a
resolution adopted against Japan by the League of Nations
on 14 May 1938, the Japanese Army frequently used
chemical weapons. Because of fear of retaliation however,
those weapons were never used against Westerners, but
against other Asians populations.
�Shortly after the end of WWI, Germany’s General Staff pursued a recapture of their preeminent
position in the chemical warfare and negotiated with the URSS to build a huge chemical weapon
plant.
�The Nazis developed and manufactured large quantities of several agents, but ultimately
decided not to use the new nerve agents, fearing a potentially devastating Allied retaliatory
nerve agent deployment.
�On the night of December 2, 1943, German bombers attacked the port of Bari sinking several
American ships - among them SS John Harvey - which was carrying mustard gas. The presence of
the gas was highly classified and authorities ashore had no knowledge of it - which increased the
number of fatalities.5
Cold War 1/2
�After WWII, the Allies recovered German artillery
shells containing German nerve agents, prompting
further research into nerve agents by all of the
former Allies.
�Although the threat of the global nuclear war was
foremost in the minds of most during the Cold War,
both the Soviet and the Western governments put
enormous resources into producing chemical and
biological weapons.
�There is some evidence suggesting that Vietnamese troops used phosgene gas
against Cambodian resistance forces in Thailand in 1984-85.
�Chemical weapons were allegedly used by Egypt during the North Yemen Civil War
from 1963 to 1967. The Egyptian government denied.
6
Cold War 2/2
�The Iran-Iraq War began in 1980 when Iraq
attacked Iran. Early in the conflict, Iraq began to
employ mustard gas and tabun delivered by
bombs dropped from airplanes. About 100,000
Iranian soldiers were victims of Iraq’s chemical
attacks. Many were hit by mustard gas. Nerve gas
agents killed about 20,000 Iranian soldiers
immediately, according to official reports.
�Shortly before war ended in 1988, the Iraqi Kurdish village of Halabja was
exposed to multiple chemical agents, killing about 5,000 of the town’s 50,000
residents.
�During the Gulf War in 1991, Coalition forces began a ground war in Iraq. Despite
the fact that it did possess chemical weapons, Iraq did not use any chemical agents
against coalition forces. 7
Terrorists and Non-state actors 1/2
�For many terrorist organizations, chemical
weapons might be considered an ideal choice for
an attack: they are cheap, relatively accessible
and easy to transport.
�The first use of chemical agents by
terrorists against a general civilian
population was on June 27, 1994, when
Aum Shinrikyo [an apocalyptic group based
in Japan that believed it necessary to
destroy the planet] released sarin gas in
Matsumoto, killing eight and harming 200
people. The following year, Aum Shinrikyo
released sarin into the Tokyo subway system
killing 12 and injuring over 5,000.8
Terrorists and Non-state actors 2/2
�On 29 December 1999, four days after Russian forces began assault of Grozny, Chechen
terrorists exploded two chlorine tanks in the town. Because of the wind conditions, no Russian
soldiers were injured.
�In 2001, after carrying out the attacks in New York on September 11, the organization Al
Qaeda announced that they were attempting to acquire radiological, biological, and chemical
weapons.
�In early 2007 multiple terrorist bombings have been reported in Iraq using chlorine gas.
These attacks have wounded or sickened more than 350 people.
�Unspecified agents have been used as a counter-terrorism means: on October 26, 2002,
Russian special forces used a chemical agent in an assault on Chechen terrorists, ending the
Moscow theater hostage crisis. All 42 of the terrorists and 120 of the hostages were killed
during the raid.
9
Features of Chemical Weapons 2/2
�Altough there have been many advances in
chemical weapon delivery since World War I, it is still
difficult to achieve effective dispersion.
�The dissemination is highly dependent on
atmospheric conditions because many chemical
agents act in gaseous form. Thus, weather
observations and forecasting are essential to optimize
weapon delivery and reduce the risk of injuring
friendly forces.
10
Efforts to eradicate chemical weapons 1/2
�August 27, 1874: The Brussels declaration: Concerning
the Laws and Customs of War is signed, specifically
forbidding the “employment of poison or poisoned
weapons”.
�Septemebr 4, 1900: The Hague Conference, which
include a declaration banning the “use of projectiles the
object of which is the diffusion of asphyxiathing or
deleterious gases”, enters into force.
�February 6, 1922: After World War I, the Washington
Arms Conference treaty prohibited the use of
asphyxiating , poisonous or other gases. It was signed by
the United States, France and Italy, but France objected to
other provisions in the treaty and it never went into
effect.
11
�1925 Geneva Protocol banned their use in war. September 7,
�1929: The Geneva Protocol enters into force, prohibiting the use of poison gas.
�1984, US President Regan called for an international ban on chemical weapons.
�1990:US President Gerorge H.W. Bush and Soviet leader Michail Gorbachev signed a
bilateral treaty to end chemical weapon production and start destroying each of their
nation’s stockpiles.
�1993:Convention on the Proibition of Chemical Weapons (CWC): total prohibition,
stockpile destruction, verification, challenge inspections.
�Organization on the prohibition of Chemical Weapons based in The Hague (OPCW).
Member States.184
�Non-signatory States: North Korea, Egypt, Somalia, Angola…
�Signatory but not-ratifying States: Israel, Burma…
Efforts to eradicate chemical weapons 2/2
The Geneva Protocol and Chemical Weapons Convention
12
Chemical Weapons Convention 2/2
�There are other chemicals used militarily that are not forbidden by the Chemical Weapons
Convention. These include:
Defoliants that destroy
vegetation, but are not
immediately toxic to
human beings.
Incendiary or explosive
chemicals (such as
napalm) because their
destructive effects are
primarly due to fire or
explosive force, and not
direct chemical action.
Viruses and bacteria, or
other organisms. Their use
is classified as biological
warfare. Toxins are
covered by the Biological
Weapons Convention.
13