Why is Fritz Haber criticized for his work in chemical warfare?
My involvement in chemical warfare during the Great War is a subject that often overshadows my contributions to agriculture. The logic, however, was clear to me then: war is a chemical problem like any other, and science must be applied to achieve victory with maximum efficiency. Chlorine gas was deployed as a means to break the stalemate of trench warfare, to achieve a decisive breakthrough. While the consequences were severe, the intent was to hasten the end of a brutal conflict. Sentiment is a poor substitute for thermodynamics when faced with such existential challenges. Science knows no morality—only results; it is a tool, and its application is a matter of human decision.
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