The Riddle of the Rhine: Chemical Strategy in Peace and War

The author surveys the rise and practice of chemical warfare during the recent conflict, explaining physiological and tactical classifications of gas agents, their production and deployment, and the arms race between industrial chemical capacity and battlefield innovation. He traces how a dominant organic chemical industry enabled rapid weapons development, examines Allied countermeasures and manufacturing responses, and assesses organisations created for research, production, and field use. The work argues that long-term safety requires redistribution and regulation of organic chemical production to avoid permanent, burdensome chemical-warfare establishments and to stabilise future peace.