Chemical weapons are still a viable military option. This book assesses their appeal by examining how the agents, munitions and protective equipment of chemical warfare have evolved since 1915; how technological innovations and refinements in weaponry have altered tactical assumptions; and how these weapons have been employed in conflicts from the First World War to the Gulf War. The author argues that the weapon technology has proved inherently dynamic, that a new generation of biochemical agents may soon be available, and that arms control may not be able to curb these developments.

Preface - Chemical Warfare Agents - Chemical Munitions - Chemical Defences - The Tactics of Chemical Warfare 1915-1945 - Chemical Warfare Tactics Since 1945 - The Prospects for Chemical Warfare - An Assessment of Chemical Warfare - Notes and References - Select Bibliography - Index