Gas! Gas! Quick, Boys! How Chemistry Changed the First World War

Chemist Freemantle (former senior correspondent, Chemical & Engineering News; Chemistry in Action) has drawn from both the historical and scientific record to present a compelling overview of the chemical innovations and consequences on both sides of World War I. Along with lethal gases (chlorine, mustard, and phosgene), he covers other manifestations, such as the massive amounts of chemicals used in the manufacture of ammunition and explosives (e.g., hand grenades and land mines). There were positive applications of chemical advances as well, such as the use of disinfectants, the advent of natural opiate painkillers and aspirin for the wounded, and even the improvements in dyes for uniforms. Freemantle succeeds in showing how the war itself drove innovation even as it supported warring practices from previous eras. Designed for the layperson, this combination of science and history is an intriguing study. A more academically oriented title that also addresses matters of international relations and policy is L.F. Haber's The Poisonous Cloud: Chemical Warfare in the First World War.