This book traces through more than a century of evolving chemical weapons technology, public attitudes toward these weapons, attempts to negotiate controls on them, and important instances in which nations chose to use of forego the use of chemical weapons. It then analyzes the potential deterrent role of chemical weapons for NATO, and the political-military roles that chemical weapons might play in the Third World. Finally, the closing chapters project four major challenges arising from chemical and biological weapons.

Chemical warfare through World War I : setting modern attitudes toward chemical warfare --The inter-war years -- Testing 'strategic deterrence' : chemical weapons and World War II -- Use and the non-use of chemical weapons : the post World War II years -- Negotiations to control chemical and biological warfare : the post World War II years -- Changes in chemical / biological weapons technology and public opinion since World War II -- NATO's chemical warfare problem today -- Third world national and insurgent use of chemical and a biological weapons -- Looking to the future -- The challenge of chemical weapons.