Ep 4. Bio-Chemical Weapons

The third season of Secrets of War continues with episode 4, exploring the murky world of Bio-Chemical Weapons. This gripping episode transports viewers back to some of the deadliest wars of the last century and beyond, examining how nations invested significant resources into developing insidious methods to defeat their enemies.

Uncovering the principles of the art of war, Bio-Chemical Weapons delves deep into the science behind chemical and biological agents, highlighting their potentially catastrophic impact on the battlefield and beyond. The episode explores how these conflicts forced nations to develop increasingly complex and sophisticated weapons.

The episode features interviews with some of the world's leading historians, as well as those who were on the front line - soldiers and operatives who put their lives on the line to create or disarm these weapons.

Among the weaponry featured is the notorious mustard gas, a chemical weapon first used in World War I, which was specifically designed to overwhelm soldiers by compromising respiratory function. The story is expertly narrated with first-hand accounts of the victims of the gaseous tortures, making every viewer feel the true horror of chemical warfare.

Also featured is the little-known story of how the United States Postal Service was drafted to deliver chemical weapons in Vietnam. Through recently declassified documents, we see how the US Army ingeniously found a way to dye the defoliating agent Agent Orange in such a way that it could be transported unnoticed by courier, to then be deployed on enemy troops.

The episode also deals with the aftermath of bio-chemical warfare and how its devastating effects can linger long after the end of hostilities. Viewers will see the impact of Agent Orange still found in the Vietnamese countryside and the continuing health issues of both the soldiers who deployed the weapons and the victims who were caught in their paths.

The episode concludes by examining how ethical considerations and the growing awareness of the potential human toll of this weaponry seeped into international debates over time, leading to the development of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Bio-Chemical Weapons offers a stark reminder of the ever-present danger of chemical weapons and the importance of responsible arms control policies.

Overall, Bio-Chemical Weapons is a haunting and thought-provoking episode of Secrets of War, providing an in-depth, detailed picture of the impact of biological and chemical weapons in some of the deadliest conflicts in history. Viewers are sure to be moved by the revelations that lead up to the weapons' development, and the consequences of their use that are still being felt today, generations later.