List of chemical arms control agreements
Encyclopedia
Chemical arms control is the attempt to limit the use or possession of chemical weapons through arms control
agreements. These agreements are often motivated by the common belief "that these weapons ...are abominable", and by a general agreement that chemical weapons do "not accord with the feelings and principles of civilized warfare."
The first chemical arms control agreement was the Strasbourg Agreement of 1675 between France
and the Holy Roman Empire
. This bilateral pact prohibited the use of poisoned bullets in any war between the two states. In the several centuries after that agreement, as chemistry
advanced, states developed more sophisticated chemical weapons, and the primary concern in arms control shifted from poison bullets to poison gases. Thus, in the Hague Convention of 1899, a large group of states agreed "to abstain from the use of projectiles the sole objective of which is the diffusion of asphyxiating or deleterious gases". The Hague Convention and other early attempts at chemical arms control took place before any significant wartime use of chemical weapons. As such, these agreements were largely hypothetical and their prohibitions were not overly restrictive or precise. Another important feature of all early agreements was that they required reciprocity; in all of the agreements adopted before World War I
, states were still free to use chemical weapons against non-signatories.
World War I
broke out in Europe less than 20 years after the signing of the Hague Convention. During that conflict, chemical weapons were used extensively by all sides in what still remains the largest case of chemical warfare. After the war, arms control agreements in general, and chemical arms control agreements in particular, gained renewed support. After seeing the gas attacks of the war, the general public overwhelmingly supported banning them. In one survey of Americans, 367,000 favored banning chemical warfare while 19 supported its continuation in the future. This public opinion stimulated increased efforts for a ban on chemical weapons. These efforts led to several agreements in the years before World War II, including the Geneva Protocol
.
World War II was seen as a significant success for chemical arms control as none of the belligerents made significant use of chemical weapons. In the immediate aftermath of the war, arms control efforts focused primarily on nuclear weapons given their immense destructive power, and chemical disarmament was not a priority. Nonetheless, chemical warfare began to expand again with gas attacks during the Yemeni Civil War, and allegations of use during the Korean War
. Combined with the use of non-lethal chemical agents by the United States in the Vietnam War
(including tear gases and defoliant
s), these incidents led to a renewed interest in chemical disarmament. The substantial use of chemical weapons in the Iran–Iraq War increased the push towards disarmament, finally culminating in the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention
, a full-scale ban on the use, production and stockpiling of weapons, which took force in 1997.
Arms control
Arms control is an umbrella term for restrictions upon the development, production, stockpiling, proliferation, and usage of weapons, especially weapons of mass destruction...
agreements. These agreements are often motivated by the common belief "that these weapons ...are abominable", and by a general agreement that chemical weapons do "not accord with the feelings and principles of civilized warfare."
The first chemical arms control agreement was the Strasbourg Agreement of 1675 between France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
. This bilateral pact prohibited the use of poisoned bullets in any war between the two states. In the several centuries after that agreement, as chemistry
History of chemistry
By 1000 BC, ancient civilizations used technologies that would eventually form the basis of the various branches of chemistry. Examples include extracting metals from ores, making pottery and glazes, fermenting beer and wine, making pigments for cosmetics and painting, extracting chemicals from...
advanced, states developed more sophisticated chemical weapons, and the primary concern in arms control shifted from poison bullets to poison gases. Thus, in the Hague Convention of 1899, a large group of states agreed "to abstain from the use of projectiles the sole objective of which is the diffusion of asphyxiating or deleterious gases". The Hague Convention and other early attempts at chemical arms control took place before any significant wartime use of chemical weapons. As such, these agreements were largely hypothetical and their prohibitions were not overly restrictive or precise. Another important feature of all early agreements was that they required reciprocity; in all of the agreements adopted before World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, states were still free to use chemical weapons against non-signatories.
World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
broke out in Europe less than 20 years after the signing of the Hague Convention. During that conflict, chemical weapons were used extensively by all sides in what still remains the largest case of chemical warfare. After the war, arms control agreements in general, and chemical arms control agreements in particular, gained renewed support. After seeing the gas attacks of the war, the general public overwhelmingly supported banning them. In one survey of Americans, 367,000 favored banning chemical warfare while 19 supported its continuation in the future. This public opinion stimulated increased efforts for a ban on chemical weapons. These efforts led to several agreements in the years before World War II, including the Geneva Protocol
Geneva Protocol
The Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare, usually called the Geneva Protocol, is a treaty prohibiting the first use of chemical and biological weapons. It was signed at Geneva on June 17, 1925 and entered...
.
World War II was seen as a significant success for chemical arms control as none of the belligerents made significant use of chemical weapons. In the immediate aftermath of the war, arms control efforts focused primarily on nuclear weapons given their immense destructive power, and chemical disarmament was not a priority. Nonetheless, chemical warfare began to expand again with gas attacks during the Yemeni Civil War, and allegations of use during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. Combined with the use of non-lethal chemical agents by the United States in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
(including tear gases and defoliant
Defoliant
A defoliant is any chemical sprayed or dusted on plants to cause its leaves to fall off. A classic example of a highly toxic defoliant is Agent Orange, which the United States armed forces used abundantly to defoliate regions of Vietnam during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1970.Defoliants differ...
s), these incidents led to a renewed interest in chemical disarmament. The substantial use of chemical weapons in the Iran–Iraq War increased the push towards disarmament, finally culminating in the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention
Chemical Weapons Convention
The Chemical Weapons Convention is an arms control agreement which outlaws the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons. Its full name is the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction...
, a full-scale ban on the use, production and stockpiling of weapons, which took force in 1997.
List of agreements
| |Agreement | |Year | |Parties | |Nature of prohibition | |Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strasbourg Agreement | France; Holy Roman Empire |
Prohibited the use of poison bullets in wars between the two states | ||
| Brussels Declaration | Never ratified | Proposed a ban on "employment of poison or poisoned weapons". It was never adopted, but helped lead to the Hague Conventions. | ||
| Declaration of the Hague Convention of 1899 | 31 statesFor a complete list see | Banned "projectiles the sole objective of which is the diffusion of asphyxiating or deleterious gases." | ||
| Hague Convention of 1907 | 35 statesFor a complete list see | Banned the use of "poisons or poisonous weapons" | ||
| Treaty of Versailles Treaty of Versailles The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of... |
Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... ; Allies of World War I Allies of World War I The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915... |
Forbade the production or importation of poison gases by Germany | ||
| Washington Arms Conference | Never ratified | Proposed a ban on all forms of chemical warfare | ||
| Geneva Protocol Geneva Protocol The Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare, usually called the Geneva Protocol, is a treaty prohibiting the first use of chemical and biological weapons. It was signed at Geneva on June 17, 1925 and entered... |
137 statesFor a complete list see | Banned the use of "asphyxiating, poisonous or other Gases, and bacteriological methods of warfare." | ||
| World Disarmament Conference World Disarmament Conference The Conference for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments of 1932-34 was an effort by member states of the League of Nations, together with the U.S. and the Soviet Union, to actualize the ideology of disarmament... |
Never ratified | Proposed an expansion of the Geneva Protocol to provide a precise definition of chemical warfare and prohibit chemical warfare against non-signatory states. | ||
| Biological Weapons Convention Biological Weapons Convention The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction was the first multilateral disarmament treaty banning the... |
163 states (list) | Banned all forms of biological warfare Biological warfare Biological warfare is the use of biological toxins or infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi with intent to kill or incapacitate humans, animals or plants as an act of war... . While not a chemical arms control treaty, it was the result of discussions on both chemical and biological weapons and an important stepping stone towards chemical weapons agreements. |
||
| Australia Group Australia Group The Australia Group is an informal group of countries established in 1985 to help member countries to identify those of their exports which need to be controlled so as not to contribute to the spread of chemical and biological weapons .The group, initially consisting of 15 members, held its first... |
41 states | A group of countries formed to control the export of materials that could be used in chemical and biological warfare. Prohibited shipments of chemical weapons and regulated trade in precursors. | ||
| Declaration of the Conference on Chemical Weapons Use | 149 states | A gathering of states that reaffirmed the Geneva Protocol. All states agreed to "solemnly affirm their commitments not to use chemical weapons and condemn such use." | ||
| Chemical Weapons Convention Chemical Weapons Convention The Chemical Weapons Convention is an arms control agreement which outlaws the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons. Its full name is the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction... |
188 states (list) | Prohibited the "development, production, acquisition, retention, stockpiling, transfer and use of all chemical weapons." Required states to declare and destroy their chemical arsenals, and provided for the control of chemical weapons precursors. |