Historical Context
World War I (1914-1918) was known as the "chemists war" because of chemical warfare. Before chemical weapons were invented, war was completely different.
Before World War I, the troops had to march facing the opposing side firing until they were shot.
Chemical weapons allowed the soldiers to stay in the trenches and fight from far distances. This was called trench warfare.
Chemical weapons allowed the soldiers to stay in the trenches and fight from far distances. This was called trench warfare.
Who first used chemical weapons?
Many people believe that the Germans were the first ones to use gas, but it was first employed by the French. In the first month of the war, August 1914, they fired tear gas against the Germans. However, the Germans were the first ones to actually study the development of chemical weapons and use it on a larger scale.