Churchill's 1919 War Office Memorandum

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War Office Memorandum of May 12, 1919 (1919)
by Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill

Note: According to the Churchill Centre, this memorandum of May 12, 1919 advocates the use of tear gas, not what is commonly referred to as poison gas.[1]

59324War Office Memorandum of May 12, 19191919Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill

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.

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.


The longest-living author of this work died in 1965, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 58 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

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