VX Nerve Gas

[whiskeytangofoxtrot]

It was Zyklon B the Nazis used.

 

[daddyusmaximus]

I thought that the Nazis favored Zyklon B for that particular application, not Sarin.

They favored it, but Sarin was used at first, at least according to my instructors.

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

Zyklon B was a German commercial form of Hydrogen Cyanide, that was used as a pesticide for delousing ships, barracks and clothing. Later, in concentrated form, it was used in the gas chambers by the Nazi SS in the concentration camps. Hydrogen Cyanide is a Blood Agent that prevents blood cells from being able to carry oxygen molecules. Concentrated forms of Hydrogen Cyanide can kill in less than one minute. It was first used in WWI by the Germans. Another name for Hydrogen Cyanide is Prussic Acid.

Nerve Agents were accidentally discovered by German Scientist Dr. Gerhard Schrader in 1936. He worked for the IG Farben Pharmaceutical Company, where he was trying to discover a new pesticide. In the process of developing the new substance, he accidentally poisoned himself several times. The results of these experiments were reported to the German Army. In due course, the German Army authorized the production of the first Nerve Agent, Tabin, followed by Sarin and then Soman. Later, these were classified as G-Series (German) Nerve Agents. The Germans were the only ones to develop nerve agents during WWII, but were never used. They were loaded into Aerial Bombs and Artillery Shells and then stored in special bunkers near Luftwaffe airfields and artillery depots. Their discovery at the end of the war came as quite a shock to the Allied armies. According to German records, Nerve Agents were never used in the concentration camps.

During the war, Hitler was convinced that the Allies had also developed Nerve Agents. He believed that their use by the German military, would result in an overwhelming chemical warfare response by the Allies.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Feels like there's been less attention than merited to the fact that North Korean govt agents sprayed VX nerve gas in a crowded airport.

 

[T.Lex]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-47520443

The Indonesian defendant will not be prosecuted in the murder of Kim Jong-nam.

According to their lawyers, in the days before Mr Kim's death the women had been paid to take part in pranks where they wiped liquid on people at airports, hotels and shopping malls.

They thought the airport was just another prank. Their lawyers had expressed confidence that the court would see they had no motive to kill Mr Kim.