At around 4.30 p.m., a white phosphorous shell came through the ceiling into the room where they were sheltering. White phosphorus is believed to have been first used by Fenian arsonists in the 19th century in the form of a solution in carbon disulfide. News about White Phosphorus, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times. In addition, the many organic compounds of⦠[17], Arms control status and military regulations. The convention defines a "toxic chemical" as a chemical "which through its chemical action on life processes can cause death, temporary incapacitation or permanent harm to humans or animals" (CWC, II). In 1940, when the invasion of Britain seemed imminent, the phosphorus firm of Albright and Wilson suggested that the British government use a material similar to Fenian fire in several expedient incendiary weapons. The walls glowed red? Late in the war, some of these bombs used white phosphorus (about 1â200 grams) in place of magnesium as the igniter for their flammable mixtures. But white phosphorus continued to be used by the US in Korea, Vietnam and later by Russian forces in the First and Second Chechen Wars (1994â2000). During World War II, white phosphorus mortar bombs, shells, rockets and grenades were used extensively by American, Commonwealth, and, to a lesser extent, Japanese forces, in both smoke-generating and antipersonnel roles. Napalm was infamously used by US forces in the Vietnam War and are mixtures of a gelling agent and a volatile petrochemical which can ignite and stick to the skin. [10] The OPCW, using member votes, creates Schedules of chemical weapons or dual-use chemicals of concern and white phosphorus is not in any of these schedules. The M34 WP Grenade replaced the World War II M15 WP grenade. The use of incendiary weapons against civilians was banned by signatory countries in the 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons Protocol III. "White phosphorus (P4) is the elemental form of phosphorus used in smoke munitions. The British military also used white phosphorus bombs against Kurdish villagers and Al-Habbaniyah in Al-Anbar province during the Great Iraqi Revolution of 1920. There is a debate[who?] It was used by Saddam Husayn in 1988, and by the US in Fallujah in 2003â2004. US-led forces in #Iraq and #Syria are accused of using white #phosphorus bombs. Ferrophosphorus, a combination of phosphorus with iron, is used as an ingredient in high-strength low-alloy steel. The rounds exploded with a huge puff of white smoke from the hotly burning phosphorus, and were used as marking rounds or incendiary rounds. The M34 White Phosphorus Smoke Grenade or "Whiskey Pete" was a smoke / incendiary grenade manufactured by Rocky Mountain Arsenal from the late 1950s and used by U.S. forces during the Vietnam War and was also used during the First Gulf War. Script error[clarification needed] For instance, concerning the U.S. use of white phosphorus in Iraq, the British Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Sir Menzies Campbell, said, Within the US Army, there appears to be conflicting advice on the use of WP against humans. Saddam Hussein dropped it on the Kurds. The Associated Press reported that an 8-year-old Afghan girl, Razia, was injured when a white phosphorus shell ripped through her home in the Tagab Valley of Kapisa province in June 2009. [12], The legal position however, is not the only consideration in any war. According to the field manual on the Rule of Land Warfare, "The use of weapons which employ fire, such as tracer ammunition, flamethrowers, napalm and other incendiary agents, against targets requiring their use is not violative of international law. [2] As an incendiary weapon, white phosphorus burns fiercely and can set cloth, fuel, ammunition and other combustibles on fire, and cause serious burns or death. This mixture was known as "Fenian fire" and allegedly was used by disgruntled itinerant workers in Australia to cause delayed destruction of shabby sleeping quarters. Russia used it in Chechnya. 9% min as 150ppm max s 50ppm max origin vietnam packing net 21. White phosphorus is a pyrophoric material, that is, it is spontaneously flammable). Other common names include WP, and the slang term "Willie Pete," which is dated from its use in Vietnam, and is still sometimes used in military jargon. When the carbon disulfide evaporated, the phosphorus would burst into flames, and probably also ignite the highly flammable carbon disulfide fumes. Dave Roever, Vietnam veteran and resiliency coach, speaks to 101st Airborne Division Soldiers about his injuries sustained in the Vietnam War. Itâs time to stop using white phosphorus ⦠The form used by the military is highly energetic (active) and ignites once it is exposed to oxygen. WP is a colorless to yellow translucent wax-like substance with a pungent, garlic-like smell. Exposure to heavy smoke concentrations of any kind for an extended period (particularly if near the source of emission) does have the potential to cause illness or even death. The Program for Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research, "IHL and White Phosphorus Munitions" Accessed at. Since then white phosphorous has been used widely in a long list of conflicts, including World War 1 and II as well as in Korea and Vietnam. Consequently the smoke screen tends to rise off the ground relatively quickly and form aerial "pillars" of smoke which are of little use for screening. Britain in Falklands. Burning white phosphorus produces a hot, dense, white smoke consisting mostly of phosphorus pentoxide. It has a high vapor pressure and will readily sublimate when exposed to air. When exposed to air, it spontaneously ignites and is oxidized rapidly to phosphorus pentoxide. The United States has used white phosphorus in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. White phosphorus is a material made from a common allotrope of the chemical element phosphorus that is used in smoke, tracer, illumination and incendiary munitions. Other approaches include white phosphorus-soaked felt pads (which also burn more slowly, and pose a reduced risk of incendiarism) and PWP, or plasticised white phosphorus. White phosphorus munitions were used extensively in Korea, Vietnam and later by Russian forces in First Chechen War and Second Chechen War. The New York Times has documented that, as recently as October 2011, U.S. and other international forces in Afghanistan were using white phosphorus ⦠White phosphorus bombs and shells are incendiary weapons, but can also be used as offensive anti-personnel flame compounds capable of causing serious burns or death. Several countries, most notably Israel, are not signatories to Protocol III. [7] Article 1 of Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons defines an incendiary weapon as 'any weapon or munition which is primarily designed to set fire to objects or to cause burn injury to persons through the action of flame, heat, or combination thereof, produced by a chemical reaction of a substance delivered on the target'. The molecule is described as consisting of six single PâP bonds. White phosphorus is used industrially to manufacture chemicals used in fertilizers, food additives, and cleaning compounds. Weight-for-weight, phosphorus is the most effective smoke-screening agent known, for two reasons: firstly, it absorbs most of the screening mass from the surrounding atmosphere and secondly, the smoke particles are an aerosol, a mist of liquid droplets which are close to the ideal range of sizes for Mie scattering of visible light. White phosphorus (WP) is a flare- and smoke-producing incendiary device or smoke-screening agent that is made from a common allotrope of the chemical element phosphorus. At least five American Medal of Honor citations mention their recipients using white phosphorus grenades to clear enemy positions, and in the 1944 liberation of Cherbourg alone, a single U.S. mortar battalion, the 87th, fired 11,899 white phosphorus rounds into the city. "[15] At the same time, other field manuals discuss the use of white phosphorus against personnel. White phosphorus was widely credited by Allied soldiers for breaking up German infantry attacks and creating havoc among enemy troop concentrations during the latter part of the war. Instructions on each crate of SIP grenades included the observations, among other things: These weapons were generally regarded as presenting a danger to their own operators and were never deployed in combat.Script error[citation needed]. "[14] However, the 11-year-old ST 100-3 Battle Book, a student text published by the US Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth states that "It is against the law of land warfare to employ WP against personnel targets. White phosphorus smoke irritates the eyes, mucous membranes of the nose, and respiratory tract in moderate concentrations, while higher concentrations may produce severe burns. White phosphorus is a material made from a common allotrope of the chemical element phosphorus that is used in smoke, tracer, illumination and incendiary munitions. Tactically this may be counteracted by using white phosphorus to get a screen quickly, but then following up with emission type screening agents for a more persistent screen. Two different crystalline forms are known. White phosphorus ⦠The appearance of this cloud forming is easily recognised; one sees a shower of burning particles spraying outward, followed closely by distinctive streamers of white smoke, which rapidly coalesce into a fluffy, very pure white cloud (unless illuminated by a coloured light source). yellow phosphorus p4 99. It is not illegal under international law for ⦠The same protocol prohibits the use of said incendiary weapons against civilians (already forbidden by the Geneva Conventions) or in civilian areas. Over seventy years after the end of hostilities, the effects of WWII still linger. [5], The accepted lethal dose when white phosphorus is ingested orally is 1 mg per kg of body weight, although the ingestion of as little as 15 mg has resulted in death. British soldiers also made extensive use of white phosphorus grenades during the Falklands War to clear out Argentinepositions as the peaty soil they were constructed on tended to lesse⦠Also a type of aerial bomb. The U.S. Army and Marines used white phosphorus shells in 107-mm (4.2 inch) mortars. White phosphorus grenades were used in Vietnam for destroying Viet Cong tunnel complexes as they would burn up all oxygen and suffocate the enemy soldiers sheltering inside. In addition to its offensive capabilities, white phosphorus is also a highly efficient smoke-producing agent, burning quickly and causing an instant bank of smoke. White phosphorus is used in bombs, artillery, mortars, and short-range missiles which burst into burning flakes of phosphorus upon impact. At the start of the Normandy campaign, 20% of American 81mm mortar rounds were white phosphorus. The Pentagon's admission - despite earlier denials - that US troops used white phosphorus as a weapon in Falluja last year is more than a public relations issue - ⦠Vietnam War is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. White phosphorus is believed to have been first used by Fenian arsonists in the 19th century in the form of a solution in carbon disulfide. Such heat is produced by this reaction that the element bursts into a yellow flame and produces a dense white smoke. [4] There are reports of individuals with a history of oral ingestion who have passed phosphorus-laden stool ("smoking stool syndrome").[6]. On August 5th, a German woman accidentally set her coat on fire with decades-old white phosphorus⦠Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. White phosphorous has also been used in ⦠Napalm is an incendiary mixture of a gelling agent and a volatile petrochemical (usually gasoline (petrol) or diesel fuel).The title is a blend of the names of two of the constituents of the original thickening and gelling agents: co-precipitated aluminium salts of naphthenic acid and palmitic acid. The convention is meant to prohibit weapons that are "dependent on the use of the toxic properties of chemicals as a method of warfare" (Article II, Definitions, 9, "Purposes not Prohibited" c.). Red phosphorus, comparatively harmless, is used in matches. [1] Other common names include WP, and the slang term "Willie Pete," which is dated from its use in Vietnam, and is still sometimes used in military jargon. Some countries have begun using red phosphorus instead. However, no casualties have been recorded from the effects of white phosphorus smoke alone in combat operations and there are no confirmed deaths resulting from exposure to phosphorus smoke.Script error[citation needed] The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry has set an acute inhalation Minimum Risk Level (MRL) for white phosphorus smoke of 0.02 mg/m³, the same as fuel oil fumes. When the carbon disulfide evaporated, the phosphorus would burst into flames, and probably also ignite the highly flammable carbon disulfide fumes. 3.2 kilograms of smoke for every kilogram of WP); it may absorb more because phosphoric acid and its variants are hygroscopic. The only one fielded was the Grenade, No. 00 mts /isotank yellow phosphorus p4 99. The Goldstone Report showcases lies about white phosphorus. This mixture was known as \"Fenian fire\" and allegedly was used by disgruntled itinerant workers in Australia to cause delayed destruction of s⦠[4] These weapons are particularly dangerous to exposed people because white phosphorus continues to burn unless deprived of oxygen or until it is completely consumed. It is believed that eight or nine men in this group, known as the Sydney Twelve, had been framed by the police. Other articles where White phosphorus is discussed: chemical industry: Phosphorus: White phosphorus is used in rodent poison and by the military for smoke generation. [6] It may also cause liver, heart or kidney damage. Because WP is also pyrophoric, most munitions of this type have a simple burster charge to split open the casing and spray fragments of WP through the air, where they ignite spontaneously and leave a trail of rapidly thickening smoke behind each particle. White phosphorus munitions cause particularly severe injuries, including chemical burns down to the bone. Wounds contaminated by white phosphorus ⦠During the war in Vietnam, the U.S. used white phosphorous as an improved form of napalm, terrorizing enemies. This effect has been likened to three dimensional textured privacy glassâthe smoke cloud does not simply obstruct an image, but thoroughly scrambles both visual and infrared radiation, interfering with infra-red optics and weapon-tracking systems, serving as a protection for military forces from guided weapons such as anti-tank missiles. on whether white phosphorus should be considered a chemical weapon and thus be outlawed by the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) which went into effect in April 1997. Officially white phosphorus is an incendiary weapon, not a chemical ⦠In 1916, during an intense ideological struggle over conscription for the First World War, twelve members of the I.W.W., a radical union of workers who opposed conscription, were arrested and convicted for using or plotting to use incendiary materials, including phosphorus. Weapons used by Vietnamese irregular forces, http://ihl.ihlresearch.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.viewpage&pageid=2105, The Legality of the Use of White Phosphorus by the United States Military During the 2004 Fallujah Assaults. white phosphorus a type of explosive round from artillery, mortars, or rockets. [3] Most were released in 1920 after an inquiry. In the interwar years, the U.S. Army trained using white phosphorus, by artillery shell and air bombardment. White phosphorus, yellow phosphorus or simply tetraphosphorus (P 4) exists as molecules made up of four atoms in a tetrahedral structure. The use of white phosphorus has a particularly brutal history. The harm caused by white phosphorus munitions, used in more recent conflicts, exemplifies these weaponsâ humanitarian problems. Because of the great weight efficiency of white phosphorus smoke, it is particularly suited for applications where weight is highly restricted, such as hand grenades and mortar bombs. Õ¿Õ¸Õ¶Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¶ Õ¯Õ¡ÕµÖ", "New evidence of using phosphorus munitions with clear chemical elements by #Azerbaijani military in #Artsakh/#Karabakh - against forests & most importantly civilians - civilians are hiding in forests during these days, causing mass destructions #DontBeBlind #terrorism #WarCrimes", https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK224560/, https://jramc.bmj.com/content/jramc/148/4/395.full.pdf, "ATSDR â Minimal Risk Levels for Hazardous Substances (MRLs)", "TOXICOLOGICAL PROFILE FOR WHITE PHOSPHORUS", https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/wp.htm, "The Use of White Phosphorus and the Law of War", https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/incendiary-legal.htm, "Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)", The Legality of the Use of White Phosphorus by the United States Military During the 2004 Fallujah Assaults, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=White_phosphorus_munitions&oldid=991287089, Wikipedia extended-confirmed-protected pages, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2020, Articles with dead external links from January 2020, Articles which use infobox templates with no data rows, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 29 November 2020, at 07:51. These create smoke screens to mask movement, position or the origin of fire from the enemy. Incandescent particles of WP cast off by a WP weapon's initial explosion can produce extensive, deep second and third degree burns. As an incendiary weapon, white phosphorus burns fiercely and can set cloth, fuel, ammunition and other combustibles o⦠Israel pounded Lebanon and Gaza with it (in 2009 in high density population areas including a school with 1,600 children and a UN building). Incendiary bombs were used extensively by the German, British and U.S. air forces against civilian populations and targets of military significance in civilian areas, including London, Hamburg, and Dresden. Because the WP smoke is formed from fairly hot combustion, the gasses in the cloud are hot, and tend to rise. The tetrahedral arrangement results in ring strain and instability. [16], Though white phosphorus is still used in modern armed conflict, it is regulated by international humanitarian law, or the law of war. The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, not the Chemical Weapons Convention, goes on, in its Protocol III, to prohibit the use of all air-delivered incendiary weapons against civilian populations, or for indiscriminate incendiary attacks against military forces co-located with civilians. The British Army introduced the first factory-built WP grenades in late 1916. White phosphorus, along with other incendiaries, has been used by Syrian government forces battling insurgents in Aleppo and elsewhere. [11] However, that protocol also specifically excludes weapons whose incendiary effects are secondary, such as smoke grenades. White phosphorus can cause injuries and even death in three ways: by burning deep into tissue, by being inhaled as a smoke, and by being ingested. Phosphorus burns carry a greater risk of mortality than other forms of burns due to the absorption of phosphorus into the body through the burned area, resulting in liver, heart and kidney damage, and in some cases multiple organ failure. An annex lists chemicals that fall under this definition and WP is not listed in the Schedules of chemical weapons or precursors.[8]. 76 or Special Incendiary Phosphorus grenade, which consisted of a glass bottle filled with a mixture similar to Fenian fire, plus some latex (see also Molotov cocktail, Greek fire). ... Vietnam '67 Vietnam: The Chemical War. White phosphorus munitions can be used on battlefields to make smoke screens, generate illumination, mark targets or burn bunkers and buildings. However, the use against military targets outside civilian areas is not explicitly banned by any treaty. Extensive exposure by burning and ingestion is fatal. It has been used in the past as a pesticide and in fireworks. 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