Alleged British use of chemical weapons in Mesopotamia in 1920 facts for kids

Some people have claimed that the British military used chemical weapons in a country called Mesopotamia (which is now Iraq) in 1920. This was during a time when the British were in charge of Mesopotamia, a period known as the British Mandate. During the Iraqi revolt, also known as Ath Thawra al Iraqiyya al Kubra, British leaders thought about using tear gas and even deadly poison gas against the Iraqi rebels.

A very important person at the time, Winston Churchill, who was in charge of the War Office, was keen on the idea. He encouraged scientists to find ways to drop mustard gas from planes. Tear gas shells were sent to Iraq, and permission was given to use them. However, army tests showed they weren't very practical, so they weren't actually used in battles.

Later, efforts to create gas weapons for use in Iraq were stopped. This was because the British government worried about looking bad after signing the Washington Disarmament Treaty. This treaty said that poison gas was not allowed. Even though the British thought tear gas was still okay to use, it was mostly practical problems, not moral reasons, that stopped them from using gas.

What Did Historians Say?

Historians have different ideas about whether chemical weapons were used.

Early Claims of Use

• In 1986, historian Charles Townshend was one of the first to suggest that Britain used chemical weapons in Iraq. He wrote that the army had used "SK gas shells" against the rebels in 1920 and that it had a "good moral effect."
• Noam Chomsky, another well-known writer, said that Winston Churchill was very eager to use chemical weapons. Chomsky claimed Churchill wanted to use them "against stubborn Arabs as an experiment." Churchill himself said that objections to using chemical weapons were "unreasonable." He also stated, "I am strongly in favour of using poisoned gas against uncivilised tribes."
• In the early 1990s, a US politician named Henry B. González also claimed that Britain used chemical weapons during conflicts in Iraq.

Were Chemical Weapons Really Used?

Many historians and researchers have looked closely at the claims that Britain used poison gas in Mesopotamia.

Looking at the Evidence

• A main source often quoted for the idea that gas was used is a book by Geoff Simons from 1994. He wrote that "gas was used against the Iraqi rebels in 1920." In a later edition of his book, he added that "gas shells were not dropped from aircraft because of practical difficulties."
• However, other historians disagree. Lawrence James wrote that the British commander in Iraq, General Sir Aylmer Haldane, wanted poison gas but "It was not needed." James also said that while RAF officers asked Churchill for permission to use poison gas, "He agreed but it was not used."
• Niall Ferguson wrote in his 2006 book that the British thought about using mustard gas but "supplies proved unavailable."
• Anthony Clayton stated in The Oxford History of the British Empire that "the use of poisonous gas was never sanctioned."

The Truth from Documents

• In 2009, R. M. Douglas, a researcher from Colgate University, studied many old official documents. He concluded that tear gas was available in Mesopotamia, and permission was given to use it at times. However, he found that all these conditions were never true at the same time. He made it clear that no poison gas was used.
• Douglas found that Churchill did approve sending artillery shells with ethyl iodoacetate (a type of tear gas) to Iraq in September 1920. But after testing these shells on British soldiers, it was found that too many shells were needed to have a real effect, which made it impossible to use them.
• The air force was still interested in using gas. In January 1922, Churchill approved changing gas artillery shells so they could be dropped from planes. But this plan was stopped quickly. The Air Council put pressure on Churchill because the Washington Disarmament Treaty had just been signed. This treaty banned "asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases." The War Office also told the British forces in Mesopotamia that "the use of gas in any form is inadmissible."
• Douglas also pointed out that some confusion came from a letter written in 1921 by an Air Ministry official. This letter wrongly claimed that poison gas shells had already been used by the army. Later, the Air Ministry changed its statement, saying they didn't know if gas shells were used. The Army Headquarters in Baghdad also confirmed that "gas shells have not been used hitherto against tribesmen."

British Rules on Warfare

The British military had rules about warfare.

Rules of War

• The British Manual of Military Law from 1914 said that the usual rules of war only applied to fights "between civilized nations." It stated that these rules did not apply in wars with "uncivilized States and tribes." However, British commanders were expected to follow "the rules of justice and humanity" as they saw fit.

Gas Weapons in India

• Some gas shells and protective gear were sent to British India in 1919 and 1920. These were meant for use on the North-West Frontier.
• However, a request for many more shells and gas masks was blocked by Lord Sinha, a high-ranking official for India. He believed that if the British and Indian forces used chemical weapons first, it would cause serious problems. He thought they should only be used if an enemy used them first.

Past Use of Gas

• Britain had used gas weapons in the Middle East before. For example, they used them in the Second Battle of Gaza against Ottoman forces during World War I. But even then, using gas did not help the British win that battle.

Churchill's Strong Views

• In 1919, Winston Churchill wrote a strong message about using tear gas, not just the most deadly gases. He said:

"I do not understand this squeamishness about the use of gas. We have definitely adopted the position at the Peace Conference of arguing in favour of the retention of gas as a permanent method of warfare. It is sheer affectation to lacerate a man with the poisonous fragment of a bursting shell and to boggle at making his eyes water by means of lachrymatory gas. I am strongly in favour of using poisoned gas against uncivilised tribes. The moral effect should be so good that the loss of life should be reduced to a minimum. It is not necessary to use only the most deadly gasses: gasses can be used which cause great inconvenience and would spread a lively terror and yet would leave no serious permanent effects on most of those affected."

See also

• Chemical weapons and the United Kingdom
• RAF Iraq Command
• Spanish use of chemical weapons in the Rif War