Smoke Screens and Gas Masks: Chemistry Goes to War

Smoke Screens and Gas Masks: Chemistry Goes to War — page 5
FIRE AS A WEAPON Since prehistoric times fire has been an important weapon Early chemists learned to direct fire against targets ncient armies used fire as a destructive Aweapon Many early battles were sieges In a siege an army surrounded a walled city to force it to surrender Fire could help burn wooden city walls and create gaps for soldiers to enter the city Burning missiles were also thrown into besieged towns The missiles set fire to buildings That terrified people inside the towns Wooden defenses and buildings burned easily Medieval buildings stood close together so fires quickly spread