ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Rock Island, Ill. -- Quad-City resident and North Scott High School senior, Sarah Riedel, presented her award-winning research project, by invitation, to the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center at Rock Island Arsenal on Aug. 10.
Riedel's presentation, "Stuffing the Genie Back into the Bottle: A Century of Diplomatic Efforts to Ban Chemical Weapons," placed sixth in the 2011 Kenneth E. Behring National History Day contest at the University of Maryland at College Park in June. Her presentation was chosen to compete in a national competition with 120 entries from across the country. Riedel's division included Department of Defense, Guam, International School of Shanghai and American Samoa schools.
National History Day is an academic competition that challenges students to research, analyze and learn from the past while connecting to a yearly theme. This year's theme was, "Debate and Diplomacy: Successes, Failures, and Consequences."
"The National History Day Program not only allows students to communicate their knowledge on a specific topic," said Chris Green, Riedel's teacher. "It provides an opportunity for teachers and in this case, the professionals at ECBC Rock Island, to learn from the student's in-depth research."
Riedel's three-year research on chemical warfare began with research on Fritz Haber, often referred to as the "father of chemical warfare," when she learned about the first gas attack in World War I.
Riedel said, "It shocked me to learn how chemical weapons were continually used through history, despite a century of treaties banning them, and I wanted to learn more about it."
The exhibit illustrated that, irrespective of early attempts to ban chemical weapons including the Hague Convention of 1899, their use was widespread in World War I. The Germans used chlorine gas against the French in the Second Battle of Ypres unleashing the proverbial "genie in the bottle" and setting in motion the development and use of chemical weapons by other countries without restraint or consequence. Their use continued, despite the 1919 Treaty of Versailles, which forbade Germany from manufacturing or developing chemical weapons. In 1922, Allied Powers at the Washington Armament Conference agreed to, but never ratified the section of the treaty to prohibit chemical use.
Riedel admits the greatest lesson she learned from this research project was, "that chemical warfare is as much psychological, as it is physical," said Riedel. "The use of chemical weapons is scary in and of itself, but the threat of using it, is equally, if not more terrifying. In the wrong hands, chemical warfare has the potential to result in catastrophic events. I saw many shocking photos of disfigured children, images that represent millions of other children and the unforeseen consequences of chemicals used in war."
History reveals, as a result from Fritz Haber's industrial chemical research work developing and deploying chlorine and poisonous gases, many countries began using and creating massive chemical weapon stockpiles during World War I. This included: Germany's use of nerve agents in the 1930s; Italy's use of chemicals against Ethiopia in 1935; and, Japan's use of chemical weapons against China in the 1930s. To this end, in 1925, the United States initiated the Geneva Protocol, which was stalled by opposition that prevented its adoption until 1974. Surprisingly, chemical warfare was used very little during World War II. However, during the Cold War, both the United States and Soviet Union's use of nerve agents led to increased usage and stockpiling.
Even though chemical weapons were banned, the United States and other countries still put a focus on their use and protection from it into their defense plans; primarily to guard against the threat of chemical weapons use and the suspicion of countries that continue to stockpile. Chemical warfare continues, leaving toxic reminders through the devastating effects of Agent Orange and other chemical defoliants used in Vietnam in the 1960s and Iraq's use of chemicals against Iran in 1983.
Riedel's presentation and corresponding exhibit tell the whole story. It illustrates how the 1899 Hague Convention, and the 1925 and 1974 Geneva Protocol, failed to end the development or use of chemical weapons. Her research highlights how diplomatic efforts did not contain any provision to prevent the stockpiling of chemical weapons. In fact, it took two decades of efforts before the Chemical Weapons Convention successfully banned chemical weapons in 1993 incorporating into the agreement a statement to, "not develop, produce, otherwise acquire, stockpile, or retain chemical weapons." This agreement was implemented by an organization to oversee the destruction of chemical weapon stockpiles; these efforts continue to this day.
To learn more contact Kevin Lee, Deputy for Sustainment Management, ECBC. Phone: (309) 782-2449 or email kevin.r.lee7.civ@mail.mil
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