Author(s): Dan Kaszeta

Popular History

Toxic is the first comprehensive history of nerve agents, tracing the spread of these terrible weapons from their Nazi origins to Russia’s 2018 deployment of Novichok in Britain. The deadliest means of chemical warfare yet developed, the first military-grade nerve agents were synthesised in Nazi Germany, with a massive industrial enterprise built for their manufacture – yet, strangely, the Third Reich never used them. At the end of the Second World War, the victorious Allies were stunned to discover just how advanced and extensive the programme was. Exploiting the Nazis’ knowledge, the Soviet Union and Western powers embarked on a new arms race: to develop their own nerve agents and munitions, amassing huge chemical arsenals. Gradually, nerve agents spread elsewhere, first deployed in the Iran–Iraq War and then by terrorists in Japan. Despite arms control efforts and disposal of national stockpiles, they have been used again, in the Syrian Civil War and by assassins in Malaysia and Salisbury. Yet – as the powers developing them have learnt – building, testing and disposing of nerve agents is itself an extremely difficult undertaking, with bitter consequences. Toxic recounts the grisly history of these weapons of mass destruction: a deadly suite of invisible, odourless killers. ‘[Kaszeta] reminds us that even with an international convention banning them, the threat of chemical weapons being used outside conventional warfare is ever-present…[his] book is informative.’ — Nature‘Kaszeta has a difficult theme but he avoids both jargon and the intricacies of the science…You feel part of the discussion, helped through the complexities and invited to turn back to previous pages to better understand a line of history or thinking.’ — The Scotsman‘Dan Kaszeta weaves an extraordinary narrative from the secret history of some of the deadliest substances ever created. From the plains of north Germany to the suburbs of Damascus he explains the development and use of nerve agents, employing his own deep knowledge, telling detail, and deadpan humour.’ — Mark Urban‘Extremely useful.’ — Eliot Higgins, founder of Belingcat, in ‘Books That Made Me’, Sunday Times South Africa‘Brings to life this macabre and secretive subject like never before…the investigatory work demonstrated by Kaszeta is clear and second to none…[A] highly thought-provoking and entertaining read.’ — The RUSI Journal