Gas Warfare in the First World War - an Overrated Weapon - or an Underrated One? | Gary Sheffield

In this presentation, which was delivered 'live' to an online audience, Prof Gary Sheffield takes a close look at the use of gas as a weapon in the Great War.
Gas warfare is seen by many as a terror weapon that sets the First World War apart from all other conflicts. Yet as a weapon of destruction gas lagged well behind artillery, and in spite of initial beliefs that it could be a war-winner, in this respect it proved a disappointment for both the Germans and the Allies - but it still had a significant role to play in the Allied victory of 1918.
In this lecture Professor Gary Sheffield, Hon. President of The Western Front Association, looks at why gas gained such a fearsome reputation, during the war and subsequently, and how chemical warfare developed over the course of 1915-18.
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[@EXO9X8]

This is honestly of higher quality and more articulate than many of the online lectures i have been through this year which were paid for....

[@AlexG-xl1cc]

Sooo happy these are still going up, really helping me get through lockdown

[@alganhar1]

I have a replica box respirator, I would hate to have to wear that thing for more than ten minutes while sat down comfortably. Wearing it for hours in a combat environment would be distinctly uncomfortable!

[@phildyrtt6433]

March, 2023: Outstanding illumination of this terrifying flavour of warfare. Thank you. Although not a feature of the Great War, this discussion reminded me of the possibly fatuous and expensive distribution of civilian gas masks in 1938+ urban centres in the UK. I had always viewed this maneuvre largely one of attempted civilian mobilisation, similar perhaps to our recent government efforts.

[@brucevilla]

Thanks for Uploading.

[@joeyj6808]

Excellent talk. Could have used some visual aids. But being online, I was able to look everything up, so I guess the point is moot.

[@darthbigred22]

The issues with CW or BW is you need too many right conditions with the weather. You drop Sarin off in a room with some people great but trying to blast an entire division unless they're enclosed in some building it won't really work unless it's a perfectly calm day without too much windy, rain, etc

[@0ldb1ll]

It is obvious that Professor Gary Sheffield has never experienced the effects of unprotected exposure to gas. Being able to breath is a fairly basic requirement to life; being deprived of that ability is a rather sharp shock. Being deprived of the ability to see whilst in a battlefield is also a fairly debilitating experience. The fact that the German troops did not wish to endanger themselves by deliberately putting themselves into such an obviously life depriving environment should be hardly surprising.

[@coreyjackson5403]

“They said they mechanized the war…so what the hell are we marching for?!”

[@3vimages471]

So a flamethrower attack is not a gas attack .... thank you for that wise observation.

[@davewolfy2906]

Quiet, I have everything at 100%. Had to resort to earphones.

[@IanCross-xj2gj]

Thankfully Germany didn't use chemical weapons during WW2.

[@vinz4066]

Well Not for Militaricly reasons.