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Chemical Warfare: A Study in Restraints

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The use of chemical munitions has a long and somewhat tortured history. This book begins that history with World War I which saw the heavy use of such weapons by nearly all countries. In World War II all of the major armies produced deadly gasses but little was actually used. It was indeed a period of restraint. In fact, the only incidents that I know of were the American ship 'John Harvey' being bombed while loaded with 2,000 Mustard Gas bombs and releasing the gas in Bari, Italy. The use of gas by the Nazi's during the Holocaust. And fairly heavy use by Japan in China including extensive testing by Japan's Unit 731 where some thousands of Chinese were reported killed.

The most recent use was the use in Iraq where an artillery projectile filled with a binary nerve gas was set off by the insurgents. It failed to mix properly so only a very small amount was released.

This is truly a 'Study in Restraints' as all of the major powers sat on their supplies and didn't use them.

General Brown,the author wrote this book, and subsequently went on to become Chief of Armor and Cavalry, after his retirement he became a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and worked at the International Institute of Strategic Studies.