Technologies for Killing People Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Technologies for Killing People - Essay Example Gas weapons, small arms, large guns and weapons of mass destruction are reported to be used more these days. The most lethal and most enigmatic use of technology or biological weaponries is considered to be the use of Zyklon B and other gases in concentration camps of Auschwitz by Germans during the World War II. Zyklon B is actually the German name for a gas called Cyclone B which is a cyanide based pesticide. The Nazi Germans used this gas to kill Jews in the concentration camps of Auschwitz during the holocaust which took 6 million lives of German, Polish and Russian Jews. The chambers in which the Jews were held to be killed by the insertion of Zyklon gas were of two, i.e. the first type of chambers was used for delousing clothes and the other one was utilized for killing Jews on a large scale. The later chambers were also called extermination chambers. Zyklon B is prepared from the extraction of hydrogen cyanide which is also called prussic acid. Before the usage of Zyklon B by Germans, it was used for fumigation purposes in farms where vegetables, fruits and grains are cultivated. Zyklon B is an effective pesticide, which is considered to be carry9ing clouds of Hydrocyanic Acid within each granule1. Germans used Zyklon B in a pallet or diskette form which was thrown into the sealed chambers where hundreds of human beings were held to kill at a time. The pallets were inserted into the room from small windows after which the windows were sealed and a team of physicians used to wait outside the chambers for 20 minutes, in order to ensure that every living organism inside the room is dead. While describing the gassing of Jews from Zyklon B, Hans Stark, the then leader of Western Infantry of German Army, described that when Zyklon B granules were poured into a gas chamber where around 225 Jews were held, the prisoners first started to cry out loud from the fear of death. After 20 to 25 minutes, the voices inside the gas chamber were vanished; this was a hint t hat every living organism inside the chamber is dead2. Beside Zyklon B, other gases were also utilized by Germans to kill their enemies. When the Great War broke up, poison gases were use as an alternative to machine guns and tanks. It is estimated that the largest number of fatalities took place during the World War II were caused by poison gases such as Phosgene and Chlorine. The first world in particular, has been popular as â€Å"The Chemists’ War†. Germans were of the view that gases and chemicals are a better weapon as compare to guns, crafts and tanks, as they kill those enemies as well who are hiding in corners and hinges. Although the process of killing a human being with the help of gases was slow but Germans were persistent that these gases will give more pain to human and will cause psychological defeat to the enemies’ camps. Since the use of Zyklon B, there are numerous chemical weaponries that were developed by human beings to kill other humans. An thrax is another deadly virus or bacteria, which have claimed thousands of lives not only in the modern era and its roots go deep into the usage of the bacteria during the World War II. Anthrax is not only used to kill human beings but it is also considered deadly for the animals. Anthrax