By September 1939 some 38 million gas masks had been given out to British families in hopes of protecting civilians from gas attacks, but by the war's end they proved to not have been needed.
Everyone in Britain was given a gas mask in a cardboard box, to protect them from gas bombs, which could be dropped during air raids.
Why were people afraid that chemical weapons might be used during WWII?
Gas had been widely used in WWI and many soldiers had either died or had been injured in gas attacks. Mustard gas was the most deadly of all the poisonous chemicals used
during WWI, it was almost odourless (almost no smell) and took 12 hours to take effect.
Gas had been widely used in WWI and many soldiers had either died or had been injured in gas attacks. Mustard gas was the most deadly of all the poisonous chemicals used
during WWI, it was almost odourless (almost no smell) and took 12 hours to take effect. Posters
Posters reminded people to carry their gas masks with themselves at all times. People were also fined if they were caught without their gas masks with them.
♣The poster on the left encourages the people to always carry their masks with them since Hitler isn't going to be sending them warnings that he is going send his airforce to bomb them on what days at what times.
♣Special masks were given out for younger children since the government feared that these children would be afraid of the masks and refrain from wearing them. *These special masks were colored out to look like the cartoonish mickey mouse character.*
♣Special masks were given out for younger children since the government feared that these children would be afraid of the masks and refrain from wearing them. *These special masks were colored out to look like the cartoonish mickey mouse character.*
You said that everyone had to have gas masks with them all the time. Does that mean they have to wear them all the time? Or just carry it around with them? What if they only need to carry it around with them and don't have to wear it, and there was a sudden mustard gas attack, wouldn't everybody die? Because it is the most deadly of poisonous chemicals and almost odorless, so people wouldn't notice if there is mustard gas around them or not.
ReplyDeleteIt was required for the people to carry gas masks with them at all times, but that doesn't necessary mean that they had to always wear them. The only time that they were required to wear them was during air-raids, since they had no idea what kind of poisonous gases might be sprayed into the air. But, gas masks did not provide the civilians with a 100% survival chance, it only provided some protection against certain gases, so, if mustard gas was projected into the air then their percentage of survival would probably be much lower than if tear gas was projected. Luckily, poisonous gases were not used against the British population during air-raids in WWII.
ReplyDeleteThey made gas masks for horses too didn't they?
ReplyDeleteThe mickey mouse gas mass seems pretty cute, and a good strategy to get kids to wear them.