Figure 1.--Yere Italian Balilla boy are undergoing a military training exercise, in this case showing them how to use their gas masks during a poison gas attack. The press caption read, "Italian children at play: Of course there are no carousels, see-saws, footballs or the like, but these children of sunny Italy arechaving arand time nontheless as they play the game of war in their camp near Rome. At top, the children, all members of Il Duce's Ballila, juvenile Fscist organization, have barrels of fun charging through clouds if gas with their little riflels, their heads encased in gas masks. Cops and robbers isn't onehaklf as good a game as this. Below, an ambulance unit of the Ballila efficiently removes a gas casualty from the scene of action." The photograph was dated October 22, 1937.

We do not yet have details on the Italian chemical weapons program. As far as we know the Italians still had World War I era chemical weapns like mustard gas. Italy signed the Geneva Convention outlawing the use of poison gas (1925). Even so the Italians used them before World War II. The Italians used chemical weapons on the Libyan resistance (1920s). And they used them agsinst the Ethiopians (1935). Mustard gas was extensively employed. Italian invasion forces dropped mustard gas bombs, sprayed it from airplanes, and spread it in powdered form on the ground. There were an estimated 15,000 Ethiopian casualties, mostly from the mustard gas. The chemical weapons played a substantial role in the Italian victory. This was a violation of the Geneva Protocol which Italy had signed. Reports were publidshed in the British press, but Italians diplomats mananaged to descredit the reports (even though the reports were accurate). Here the British Government played a role as at the time they were still hopeful of Mussolinin helping to moderate Hitler. We know nothing at this time about Italian research and development programs.

World War I

We have little information about Italian use of chemical weapons during World War I. They may not have had chemical weapons when they entered the War. Chemical weapons were developed durung the War, initially by the Germans (1915). The Italians soon acquired them. We do not know to what extent they manufactured chemical weapons. The British abd French may have provided some gto the Italians. We do know that chemical weapons were used against the Italians. More than 4,600 Italians were killed and 60,000 men were wounded. [Duffey]

Inter-War Dipolmacy

The revulsion with the enormous casualties during World War I signigicantly saffected public thinking after the War. And no where was the public more horrified thsn with chemical weapons. This led to the Geneva Protocol (1925). These negotiatioins were initiated by the United States. The resultng protocol forbade the use of poison gas and bacteriological weapons in warfare (1925). It did not prohibit their production and stockpiling, but it did prohibit the use of the weapons. The Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and France ratified the protocol with the reservations that it would not be binding if other countries violated the agreement. Italy and (Weimar) Germany ratified without reservations. The United States and Japan did not. [Tucker] As far as we know, the British stoped using gas in colonial conflicts after signging the Geneva Convention. The Italians did not.

Post-War Usage

As far as we know the Italians still had World War I-era chemical weapns like mustard gas. Even after signing the Geneva Protocol (1925), the Italians chenical weapons before World War II. The Italians used chemical weapons on the Libyan resistance (1920s). And they used them agsinst the Ethiopians (1935). Mustard gas was extensively employed. Italian invasion forces dropped mustard gas bombs, sprayed it from airplanes, and spread it in powdered form on the ground. There were an estimated 15,000 Ethiopian casualties, mostly from the mustard gas. The chemical weapons played a substantial role in the Italian victory. This was a violstion of the Geneva Protocol which Italy had signed. Reports were publidshed in the British press, but Italians diplomats mananaged to descredit the reports (even though the reports were accurate). Here the British Government plaeyd a role as at the time they were still hopeful of Mussolinin helping to moderate Hitler.

Chemical Weapons Program

We do not yet have details on the Italian chemical weapons program. We know nothing at this time about Italian research and development programs, if any. The chemical weapons used in Ethiopia was World War I mustard gas. Nor do we find any cooperation with the Germans who weredeveloping a new generatuon of deadky chemical weapons..

World War II

The Italians did not use chemical weapons in World War II. Presumably this is because they knew that the British and subsequently the Americans, unlike the Ethiopians, also had chemical weapons and could retaliate. The only incident in Italy during the War was a German bombing attack on American ships in Bari harbor (December 2, 1943). The Germans struck an amunitions ship which was carrying mustard gas.

Civil Defense

We note a U.S. War Department assessment about Italian civil defense preparations, "The "L'Unione Nazionale per la Protezione Anti-Aeria" (UNPA), corresponding to the Air Protection League of Germany, undertook the task of assisting air defense organizations, disseminating information, and cooperating in the execution of air defense measures. In some cases, especially in the larger cities, good results were obtained, but from prisoners of war it has been learned that smaller towns had practically no air defense organization. Children in particular were trained in raid conduct. Air raid warning sectors were established, wardens appointed, blackouts were held - but apparently interest lagged. However, it may be assumed that certain training has been given the Italian populace. With respect to gas masks, it is difficult to assess the situation accurately because of a scarcity of information. The latest reports available reveal that only about one million masks have been sold to the public, and the Pirelli company (which has a government franchise to manufacture masks) has about 2 1/2 million unsold. It may be that the latest raids on Naples, Milan, and other centers have stimulated the public's desire to own and carry gas masks. The army and air raid personnel are presumably well equipped." [U.S. War Department]

Sources

Duffy, Michael. "Weapons of War - Poison Gas," (August 22, 2009).

Tucker, Jonathan B. War of Nerves: Chemical Warfare from World War I to Al-Qaeda (Pantheon, 2005), 479p.

U.S. War Department. "Civil Protection Against Gas Warfare in Enemy Countries," Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 17 (January 28, 1943).

Created: 4:46 AM 1/23/2010
Last updated: 12:08 PM 6/14/2013