THE HISTORY OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS – KEY EVENTS IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT OF THEIR PROPAGATION

Abstract

The article discusses the history of the creation and use of chemical weapons
– one of the most dangerous forms of weapons of mass destruction. It examines the early
use of such weapons in antiquity and the Middle Ages, continuing up to the 19th century,
which witnessed rapid developments in the field of chemistry. Particular attention is
given to the use of chemical weapons during World War I – from the unsuccessful tests
at Neuve-Chapelle to the mass gas attacks at Ypres, Bolimów, and the Somme. The
development and use of Zyklon B in German extermination camps during World War II,
as well as the use of chemical weapons by Japan and the incident in Bari, are also
explored. The article further addresses the issue of post-war dumping of chemical
weapons in the Baltic Sea and their later use in armed conflicts throughout the 20th and
21st centuries. The aim of this work is to present the evolution of chemical weapons and
the methods of warfare involving them.