Yin Hang, Kwok CHEM 2131-001 Nov. 18, 13 Professor Dr.

Markus Etzkorn

Book Report : War of Nerves: Chemical Warfare from World War I to Al-Qaeda

Introduction In spite of the extraordinary progress made in science and technology, the problems remain in how people can be safe on the world surrounding a lot of threats, such as nuclear, biological and chemical. Comparing three of them, chemical threat has the longest history in human activities. Unlike the US soldiers who have been trained to deal with different chemical weapons like toxic gases and poisonous bullets, normal people like me are unskilled to survive under full of chemical threat condition. After read this book, I feel that the greatest threat to mankind is mankind itself. Chemical weapons in this book described most in poisonous gases especially in nerve agents and the societies and governments treated the chemical weapon in different ways. Usually, these poisonous gases discovered by accident and satisfied some country leaders' ambition. Chemical weapons not only made a large destructive power in human body and many casualties, but also it is immoral. It is because it is non-selective. It killed soldiers, citizens, harmful for environments and any living-organism. There are a lot of agreements to ban the chemical weapons and lethal chemical in usage and signed by different country leaders. But the chemical weapons keep exist on the world even if the history teach us how terrible the chemical weapons are. The reason is the

retaliation because of religion, race and historical problem.

Summary In chapter one the chemistry of war, told us the first chemical weapon idea came from schoolteacher that covert chlorine into asphyxiating gas and how German used in war and succeeded in 1914. The second chapter mentioned about the IG Farben company. It is the largest chemical company in Germany, German used chemical weapon so early because the possessed the world most advanced chemical industry in that time. Schrader discovered Tabun when tried to find a new method for synthetic foods and ammonia because Germany lost a lot of territories and it made Germany need to find new food support and improve the old method for foods. Chapter three told us about the toxic gases (Tabun type) development and the process of Germany scientists produced the Tabun. The chapter four are describing using chemical weapons in world war two, such as mustard gas. In chapter five, after world war 2 in 1945, US army chemical Warfare service focus the German nerve agents (Tabun). As America obtained a lot of equipment and technology from Germany, it made a big change. In 1946, research in Tabun result caused the mission of chemical crops that encompassed civilian activities such as development and usage of DDT and other pesticides. In chapter six, this chapter pointed out confederate force (USA, England, French and Canadian armies) obtained the advanced technology of chemical usage from Germany and how improve the poisonous gases and reinforced the soldier's equipments to prevent the toxic chemical weapons. For the chapter seven, the time is in cold war. Beside the nuclear weapons, each countries developed and stockpiled their chemical weapons in deeply. In 1950, the war between North Korean and South Korean started. As the nerve agent has problem in storing in aircraft, the chemical weapons are carried by Navy.

The reason that South Korean lost some of territories because US Navy refused to use nerve agents. It made Eastern started to develop the chemical weapons. In chapter ten, in 1960, the most countries decided to give up the old chemical weapons. But the major problem were how to remove these weapons in safe method and how to save these weapons if the remnants were toxic. The greatest method were put them in closed system and buries in deep ocean or deserts. In chapter seventeen, the terrorist organization in Japan launched a Sarin gases in Tokyo subway. This accident was not only terroristic attack, but also the chemical weapons moved from battlefield to residence place. It was just a beginning of terroristic attack by using chemical weapons on the world.

Reflection War of nerves is not just a historical book of chemical weapons, but also it mentions a lot of ideas of developing chemical weapons and its methods. I can follow these historical characters to know how they find and develop these chemical weapons. I am highly recommend to read this book because this book reflected the dark side of Chemistry and how chemical weapons influence our life even we cannot see it. In each chapter, this book points out different situation of using chemical weapons and these characters response in using chemical weapons. It makes me introspect that why I am studying Chemistry and my aspect in chemistry. Although, each hazardous chemicals were discovered by unexpected reactions in experiences, these inventions changed human life and living standard. For example, development of DDT and other pesticides were found in developing Tabun gas which is toxic gas and these dynamites (TNT) were found in improvement of fertilizers. It means these chemical weapons development was unexpected and chemistry is for peaceful use in primary. These chemical weapons were used because people were forced by

predicaments , satisfied careerist's ambition and revenge of terrorists. Misuse in chemicals caused dreadful consequence that is the reason we have to treat chemicals in serious. In addition this book provide a lot of basic knowledge of chemical weapons, such as five steps of making Sarin and chlorine is one of the most important thing in chemical weapon because it is a key ingredient of many chemical warfare agents. As Sarin are highly toxic, it cannot produce directly. First, element phosphorus was converted into a chemical intermediate called methylphosphonic dichloride [CH3P(O)Cl2] and then react with hydrogen fluoride[HF] to produce [CH3P(O)F2]. The last step is react with isopropyl alcohol. In each chapter, historical stories changed the world of Chemistry. For example, after world war one, conference force received Germany chemical technology, unifier the naming and adoption of a standard nomenclature in chemicals. In short, researching in Chemistry is good thing to understand our world and put these chemicals in good use. Researching in chemistry in history help human a lot in every activity, such as modern agriculture and medical treatment. But human should not use chemical weapons because it is immoral and endanger to our environment and every living species.