America's Nerve Gas Arsenal NBC News 1973

The United States conducted extensive research and testing on nerve gases during the Cold War era. Experiments involving these chemical agents were carried out at various military facilities, including Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland, where thousands of soldiers were exposed to nerve gases and other chemicals from 1948 to 1975.

Nerve gases such as sarin (GB), tabun, soman, and lewisite were among the chemicals tested. These substances were also manufactured at other sites, like the Rocky Mountain Arsenal in Colorado, which produced chemical weapons including mustard gas, napalm, white phosphorus, lewisite, and sarin.

The U.S. military's chemical weapons program included experiments to evaluate the impact of these agents on military personnel and to develop protective measures and treatments. Some of these tests involved exposing soldiers to low doses of chemical warfare agents to assess their effects.

The last chemical weapons in the U.S. military arsenal were destroyed at Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky, marking a significant step in the disarmament process.

These historical events have raised ethical concerns and resulted in ongoing efforts to provide medical care and support to veterans who participated in these tests.