A Century of Chemical Weapons: Use, Prohibition, and Elimination

Chemical weapons represent one of the most controversial and destructive categories of weapons of mass destruction, having shaped both military history and international law over the past century. This monograph, A Century of Chemical Weapons: Use, Prohibition, and Elimination, provides a comprehensive historical and legal overview of the development, deployment, prohibition, and eventual destruction of chemical weapons. Beginning with the first large-scale use of chlorine gas during World War I in 1915, the study traces the evolution of chemical warfare and examines its devastating humanitarian consequences, which resulted in more than one million casualties during the conflict. The work analyzes key milestones in international efforts to regulate and eliminate chemical weapons, including the 1925 Geneva Protocol and the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the latter representing the most comprehensive disarmament treaty addressing an entire class of weapons of mass destruction. Particular attention is given to the role of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the global verification regime that supervised the destruction of declared stockpiles. The monograph highlights the historic milestone reached in July 2023, when the final declared chemical weapon was destroyed under OPCW verification, marking the completion of a decades-long international disarmament effort. While acknowledging this significant achievement, the study also examines emerging challenges, including the potential misuse of toxic industrial chemicals, chemical terrorism, and the evolving security implications of dual-use technologies. By combining historical analysis, legal examination, and contemporary security considerations, the monograph contributes to a deeper understanding of chemical weapons disarmament and underscores the importance of continued international cooperation to prevent the re-emergence of chemical warfare.