VOLUME I. A LONG WAY TO CHEMICAL WAR

Chapter 3. Creation of the Industry of a Chemical Warfare

The society has learnt about existence in Soviet Union the chemical warfare industries casually enough when the Soviet principal M.S.Gorbachev on meeting in Prague declared a stopping of the Soviet production of a chemical weapon on the 10th of April, 1987¹¹. And only on a boundary of the XX-XXI-st centuries it became clear to a society, that the Soviet management has undertaken the organisation of the industry of an offensive chemical warfare at once after the terminal of Civil War.

Desire of Red Army to have a chemical weapon and all concomitant raw cycle is yet all. It was necessary to frame in the country ruined by wars capacities on production not only raw materials, but also chemical warfare agents. Here so under the pretext of until now praised highly "industrialisation" in Soviet Union has actually been framed all infrastructure of an offensive chemical warfare. Thus Soviet power reacted simultaneously on all conceivable "fronts" - in working out new chemical warfare agents, in raw-material base building on chlorine, sulphur, arsenic, alcohols and to other raw stuffs, in building of numerous factories on production of known chemical warfare agents, in building of filling stations on equipment chemical warfare agents into chemical munitions, in a direction of the big parties chemical warfare agents in the state mobilisation reserve, in tare production, including bulk petrol waggons and puncheons, for transportation chemical warfare agents to a place of their battle "service".

Certainly, the Soviet military-economic and industrial directing bodies were under constant and most powerful pressure of a management of Red Army.

3.1. FORMATION OF THE INDUSTRY OF NITROGEN AND CHLORINE

In the first years of Soviet power the powerful incentive to development was received by the nitrogen industry necessary not only for production of explosives and dyes, but also for production of hydrogen cyanide, diphenylcyanoarsine, bromobenzyl cyanide, cyanogen chloride and cyanogen bromide, adamsite, chloropicrin, N-mustard. However, development of this industry³⁴ hardly could serve as the serious indicator of readiness of the Soviet industry to mass production of chemical warfare agents. Reverting to real practice of formation of the industry of nitrogen, we will specify, that after demarches of Red Army on April, 12th, 1928 there was decision Council of work and defence "About capital construction inspection in a chemical industry" (anilino-dyes, and also basic). In introduced in Council of work and defence the document of Military Chemical Directorate³⁷⁵ it was specified in a stoppage in building terms of "the factories having military-chemical value" (at Chernoreche-Dzerzhinsk, Berezniki and Rubezhnoe). It was emphasised also, that "absence of the accurate plan in development of the anilino-dyes industry deprives of possibility of use of this branch of a chemical industry in the military-chemical attitude" (requirements of production adamsite, diphenylchloroarsine and diphenylcyanoarsine meant).

Besides development anilino-dyes and the basic chemical industry (that is first of all nitrogen), the army did not forget about storm of the main height – the chloric industry^74,379 - and in general the haloid industry. For maintenance of plans of an offensive chemical warfare the army "required" the industry on production of chlorine and so-called chloric products under which mark passed all chemical warfare agents - from mustard gas and lewisite to phosgene and chloroacetophenone⁷⁴. However, principals of army saw the future of the country in own way and consequently cared of development not only the chloric industry, but also in general the haloid industry. Anyway, besides chlorine, to it the need and in bromine (production of bromobenzyl cyanide and the bromous mustard gas) and in fluorine (fluorine mustard gas) saw. It is not surprising, that the fate of the Saksky bromic factory was discussed in August, 1923⁴⁴³. And in 1933 it was a question any more only of this factory (in 1932 this factory produced 116 tonnes bromines), but also three other bromic productions⁴⁰³.

The first commercial units for production of liquid chlorine have been constructed in Russia in 1915-1916 in connection with the chemical warfare beginning, however building of large electrolytic chloric factories has begun only in Soviet Union. Questions of the industry of chlorine have risen in the agenda in connection with plans of the first five-years period. In February, 1928 the army has paid attention of control members of the country about dissatisfaction of its mobilisation demand (only 23 %). As a result of that demarche on the 9th of September 1929 there was decision Council of work and defence "About capital construction of the chloric industry". The cause has set up Military Chemical Directorate, specified in the introduced document, that for a year of conducting a chemical warfare of army it is required 40000 tonnes chlorine (other needs of the country: manufacturing of gunpowders and explosives - 20000 tonnes, civil needs - 20000 tonnes). The army not only ascertained backlog in building chloric workshops in 1926-1929 on plants at Berezniki, Moscow, Chernoreche-Dzerzhinsk, Rubezhnoe and Slavjansk, but also has demanded fulfilment of the plans within a year³⁷⁹. The next years the army declared still the big needs in chlorine. They have been formulated in mobilisation plan: for 1931 only for Military Chemical Directorate - 100000 tonnes (requirement of the peaceful industry - 26000 tonnes), for 1932 - 200000 tonnes ("peaceful chlorine" - 43000 tonnes), for 1933 - 300000 tonnes ("peaceful chlorine" - 60000 tonnes)³⁷⁹.

Actually production of chlorine came true with serious backlog from arrogant plans of military chemists: 1927 - 6500 tonnes (plants: "Donsoda", "Slavsoda", at Bondiuga, at future Chapaevsk), 1928 - 7450 tonnes (the factory in Berezniki was added), 1929 - 9150 tonnes, 1930 - 15000 tonnes (it was added plants at Rubezhnoe on Ukraina and two plants at Moscow - Olginsky and Ugreshsky), 1931 - 25955 tonnes (were added plants at Stalingrad and at Chernoreche-Dzerzhinsk)³⁷⁹.

As we see, chlorine was necessary to army for production of chemical warfare agents, however chlorine in many smaller degree was necessary to the country. This obvious contradiction was authorised simply - for obliging Supreme council national economy to plan actions for dilating of consumption of chlorine and its products separate industries (paper, textile and others). So the poor country have forced to follow a path of misshapen development of a chemical industry with a supernecessary level of development of chloric productions. Further the army has lobbied signing of decision Council of work and defence of the USSR from the 11th of March 1930 "About dilating of consumption of chlorine"³⁸⁰. After that there were concrete decisions. So, with decision Council of work and defence from October, 14th, 1931⁷¹ it has been decided to provide by 1st of April 1932 the terminal of building of chloric factories on total capacity 100000 tonnes per year. Simultaneously Supreme council national economy it was entrusted to provide by means of new buildings in 1932 capacity finishing on chlorine to 175000 tonnes per year. Some results of that activity are generalised in table 3.1. Dynamics of growth production of chlorine is obvious ³⁷⁹.

Table 3.1 Soviet chloric industry on the boundary 1920-1930s³⁷⁹

Plants	Manufacture of chlorine-gas on years, tonnes
	1927	1928	1929	1931
Plant "Donsoda"	3000	2900	3100	3524
Plant "Slavsoda"	1700	1750	1600	1722
Plant at Bondiuga	1200	1200	1500	1500
Plant No. 2 at Chapaevsk (No. 102)	600	1000	1500	3000
Plant at Rubezhnoe (Ukraina)				2250
Plant at Berezniki		600	1250	5178
Plant at Ugreshi-Moscow (No. 93)				5022
Plant at Chernoreche-Dzerzhinsk				2592
Plant No. 1 at Moscow (No. 51)				1000
Plant at Stalinogorsk (Bobriki)				67

Once again to this problem Council of work and defense of the USSR has returned in the decision from the 4th of July 1932³⁹³, in which there was a target date of the termination of construction chloric plants at Bobriki and Stalingrad - IV quarter 1932 Besides it was entrusted to department of the heavy industry to start in III quarter 1932 creation new chloric plants on the general capacity 40000 tonnes per year. And on it business has not stopped. On the 9th of October 1932 Council of work and defense has accepted one more special decision "About expansion of consumption of chlorine"³⁸⁰.

So the ugly ("chloric") direction of development of the Soviet chemical industry has been fixed for many decades. As a way synthesis of chlorine has been selected electrolysis of table salt by a mercury method⁴⁰⁶, that has begun ecological troubles which should be overcome and in XXI century. In general of refusal of chlorine at clearing potable water to think have begun only in a new millenium.

3.2. SULFURIC INDEPENDENCE

Maintenance production of the important persistent chemical warfare agents (mustard gas and lewisite) has demanded from the country of even greater victims.

Owing to demands of Red Army on "the chemical map" of still the poor country there were powerful productions of sulphur. Before occurrence Soviet power the sulfuric industry in the country in essence was not, however without sulfuric it was impossible production of ordinary S-mustard⁷⁴. And the army zealously initiated employment by sulphur. In October, 1925 Military Chemical Directorate has demanded from the Soviet foreign trade "to import 6500 tonnes sulfurs from which number 4000 tonnes to reserve on a war event". In September, 1927 to sector of defence State Planning Committe it has been specified in low level of extraction of own sulphur: 1200 tonnes per year instead of necessary 9000 tonnes per year. In December, 1928 Military Chemical Directorate has reminded Mobilizatsionno-planned management of necessity of creation of a mobilisation stock of sulphur. In October, 1929 the army has requested trust "Ural-Gold" how there is an extraction of gas sulphur on Kalatinsky copper-smelting group of enterprises. In February, 1930 at the initiative of Military Chemical Directorate at session of section of chemical defence of Committee on chemicalixation at the government "the question on sulphur extraction" has been surveyed. "Necessity of all-round augmentation of extraction of mineral sulphur and the organisation of catching of sulphur from gases copper-smelting furnaces" has been ascertained.

These army attacks were followed by results. In decision Council of work and defence from the 23rd of June 1930³⁸³ problems on extraction of native and gas sulphur have been fixed: 1) by August, 1st, 1930 to complete building of Kara-Kum factory of native sulphur by power 3000 tonnes per year (Turkmenia); 2) by April, 1st, 1931 to complete building of a sulfuric factory at Shor-Su (Uzbekistan); 3) by January, 1st, 1931 to complete building of the Kalatinsky factory of gas sulphur (Sverdlovsk oblast) on power 4000 tonnes per year, and by January, 1st, 1932 - on 40000 tonnes per year.

And Presidium Supreme council national economy has decided on December, 19th, 1930 "to include building of sulfuric factories in number of shock prime buildings". Does not remain aside and department of Working-country inspection - in February, 1931 there have discussed a question "about a condition of production and capital construction of natural sulphur in Central Asia"³⁸⁷. The army pressure has been materialised and in two other decisions Council of work and defence of the USSR (from October, 14th, 1931⁷¹ and from July, 4th, 1932³⁹³), in which sound partitions "sulphur" contained. In particular, it has been decided to provide production of own (Soviet) mineral sulphur: 12000 tonnes in 1931 and not less than 32000 tonnes in 1932. And building of a factory of gas sulphur by power 80000 tonnes was scheduled for 1932 per year.

The cause of "sulfuric activity" was prosaic. According to mobilisation plans of those years, for the first year of conducting war if it was 1931, it was necessary for army for production maintenance mustard gas 12000 tonnes sulfurs per year. In case of a beginning of war in 1932 inquiries of army were much more - 30000 tonnes per year. Real position was that³⁸⁷. For 1932 the declared requirement of Red Army for sulphur for production of mustard gas was 14185 tonnes, however real production was much less. As to changing of import sulphur on own business was as follows.

Mineral sulphur mined those years in three deposits. The most powerful production existed at Shor-Su (Uzbekistan) on the basis of enough rich ores (25%). The close locating to Kokand (35 km) and presence of road to Kokand allowed to educe this production seriously. In 1932 it was supposed to manufacture 8000 tonnes sulfurs, and on the future plans were even more serious³⁸⁷. Works on this deposit have been dilated in the course of war⁷²⁰. Sulphur has been found In Turkmenia in sands Kara-Kum near well Shinh (it more than in 200 km to the north from Ashkhabad). Sulphur from ores with the maintenance of 25% after manual "enrichment" melted in handicraft autoclaves then on camels delivered to station Geok-Tepe or to Ashkhabad. In 1932 at the plan 4000 tonnes have taken out only half sulphur³⁸⁷. In Chekur-Kojash in 45 km from Kerch (Crimea) sulphur in 1932 melted from ore from 15% the maintenance³⁸⁷.

Some deposits of sulphur were in a working out stage. Opened in 1926 at Gaurdak (Turkmenia) the richest deposit with the maintenance 20 % are grey was in 55 km from station Charshanga and has been bound to it a highway³⁸⁷. According to decision Council of work and defence from July, 4th, 1932 there has been begun construction of a sulfuric factory on 40000-50000 tonnes per year³⁹³. The deposit of sulphur which is arranged at Alekseevskoe near to Samara and which stocks have allowed to schedule a factory on melt 20000 tonnes per year has been besides, involved³⁸⁷.

The industry also activly worked on production of gas (passing) sulphur on copper-smelting groups of enterprises. In 1932 on Kalatinsky group of enterprises operated pilot plant on sulphur catching (power - 2000 tonnes per year) and the big factory on power 40000 tonnes per year with start-up in the second half of the year 1933 was under construction (start-up has not taken place). On the second five-years period the organisation of production of gas sulphur on three groups of enterprises was outlined by 1937: two in Sverdlovsk region (at Krasnouralsk and at Revda on power 80000 tonnes per year everyone) and one in Chelyabinsk (at Karabash on power 40000 tonnes per year)...

In general manufacture of sulfur which was necessary to army for production of mustard gas and it was not necessary in such scales to the country (a rubber industry, production of plastic), it has been provided. We shall list those 5 factories on which to the beginning of war it has been adjusted production of natural sulfur for maintenance of production of mustard gas: at Changyrtash, Gaurdak, Shor-Su, Kara-Kum and Alekseevskoe. These manufactures remained in mobilization readiness also long years after war⁴³¹.

 

3.3. BATTLE FOR ARSENIC

The fate of sulphur is inseparable from fate of arsenic. Without arsenic maintenance production not only lewisite, but also adamsite, diphenylchloroarsine, diphenylcyanoarsine, ethyldichloroarsine, pfiffikus is impossible⁷⁴. Independence of import of the arsenic occurring on a boundary 1920-1930s, was reached dramatically.

In October, 1925 in one of first reports I.M. Fishman, just headed Military Chemical Directorate, has demanded "to specify Supreme council national economy in necessity beyond all bounds the maximum intensifying of extraction of arsenic". In September, 1927 the army has caused anxiety sector of defence State Planning Committe with that is available having broken off in arsenic production (800 tonnes per year instead of necessary 3500 tonnes). In October the army has raised the question about necessity of accumulation of a mobilisation stock of arsenic. In April, 1928 Military Chemical Directorate has paid attention of the Revolutionary military council, that the demand of army for arsenic is not provided. In July the army has specified to Mobilizatsionno-planned management in a problem "an emergency with arsenic production in connection with a shaft inundation on the Kochkarsky deposit". In November the army has reminded chemical department of necessity to provide accumulation of a mobilisation stock of arsenic and sulphur. In 1929 "the arsenic siege" has proceeded. In March at meeting in Mobilizatsionno-planned management Military Chemical Directorate again "ascertained neediness of the mobilisation demand of sulphur, arsenic". The Same neediness on sulphur and arsenic was ascertained in August in a demarche from Revolutionary military council to the chief of the Main chemical management. In October military chemists informed State Planning Committe on absence of actions for working out of arsenic and about absence of maintenance of the mobilisation demand. And in November at session of section of defence of Committee on chemicalixation at the government "the attention to the question on arsenic extraction has been brought in full. Full absence of actions for expansion of extraction of arsenic and investigation of new arsenic deposits" is ascertained.

1930 also was rich with events. At session Council of work and defence the decision not only on chlorine, but also "about expansion of extraction of arsenic" on March, 11th, 1930 was accepted. Decision Council of work and defence it was offered Supreme council national economy to enlarge import of import arsenic to the norms providing the minimum requirement of army. "The requirement" armies was transparent - production of adamsite, diphenylchloroarsine, diphenylcyanoarsine and lewisite. Simultaneously Supreme council national economy have obliged to introduce the plan of works on investigation, extraction and arsenic processing. And in 2 days presidium Supreme council national economy has made a decision "of prospecting works on arsenic, extraction and production of arsenic and production of white arsenic and arsenous drugs". Then all arsenic questions have been equal to military problems and in the country there was an arsenic management. Treating of an arsenic problematics has proceeded at session Council of work and defence on June, 23rd, 1930, completed by decision acceptance "About expansion of extraction of arsenic". In the introduced note the Revolutionary military council the requirement of army for white arsenic on the first five-years period - 8000 tonnes was reported³⁸³.

On August, 1st, 1931 Council of work and defence has made a decision about refusal of sulphur and arsenic import. On August, 25th there was order Supreme council national economy with which was scheduled to provide in 1931 extraction 1000 tonnes white arsenic from the sources (in 1930 only on the Kochkarsky factory has been received 500 tonnes). Simultaneously it was offered to test for arsenic in 1931 all operated and reconnoitered deposits black and non-ferrous metals, and in 1932 to construct the equipment on catching of arsenic of off-gases³⁸⁴.

Soon the rank of documents has been raised by efforts of army. The decision from October, 14th, 1931 Council of work and defence has decided to provide production in 1931 Soviet (not import) white arsenic 1000 tonnes (in 1932 - already 5500 tonnes) and also to strengthen rates of investigation of arsenic deposits⁷¹. Following decision Council of work and defence from July, 4th, 1932 it has been decided to put not later than October, 1932 into operation a little concentrating mills (Darasunsky, South Pokrovsk, Zapokrovsky and Dzhulfinsky), and also to complete per 1932 creation of the Angarsk factory³⁹³.

Let's survey, further, this activity on a boundary 1932-1933 when there were first results of battle for arsenic during the first Soviet five-years period³⁸⁵.

There were 4 factories on production of white arsenic (arsenolite As₂O₃). The Kochkarsky factory (Plast, Chelyabinsk oblast) has mined in 1932 800 tonnes the passing white arsenic formed in the course of processing on gold arsenopyrites gold-bearing of deposits of Kochkarsky mine. For 1933 scheduled to mine 1000 tonnes, have actually mined 644,6 tonnes³⁸⁵. Plant at Djetyigara (Kazakhstan) in the furnacing furnace has manufactured in 1932 60 tonnes white arsenic. For the next year scheduled doubling, but have manufactured 90 tonnes. Here constrained absence of the railway, however then it has been brought³⁸⁵. Plant at Luhumi (Georgia) has been launched in the end of 1932 and consequently has manufactured to the extremity of year only 15 tonnes white arsenic furnacing enough rich ores. For 1933 scheduled handing over 125 tonnes, however have actually let out 25,6 tonnes - the deposit was in remote mountain district³⁸⁵. Plant at Darasun (Chita oblast) has manufactured in 1932 200 tonnes white arsenic by furnacing of ores with Pokrovsko-southern deposits (Nerchinsk). In 1933 it was scheduled production of 300 tonnes (actually - 189,3 tonnes), and then - with start-up concentrating mill (while ores "enriched" in the manual way) - to finish production white arsenic to 2500 tonnes in a year. The affinity of border with "unfriendly" Manchzhuria reduced pleasure of enthusiasts. This hardle was overcome by that furnacing of Nerchinsk ores (after their enrichment in situ) scheduled on the giant of the arsenic industry "Angarsk metal works on arsenic production" (present Svirsk, Irkutsk oblast). Furnacing should begin in 1933, and the plan for that year made 200 tonnes white arsenic (planned power of a factory made 3000 tonnes per year) - the demand of the governmental order from July, 28th, 1933 was that. Actually a factory have started up in May, 1934, and there was a problem about transferring to new mining base (to use scheduled Berikulsky concentrating mill). On this battle post the arsenic factory at Svirsk has stayed till 1949 then has risen in a reserve where has stayed under supervision of the Soviet Army to its extremity. In new Russia about that factory have forgotten, no less than about the stocks of arsenic which were in its territory³⁸⁵.

Besides the started up factories of arsenic, at winter 1932-1933 went works on putting into operation of some new deposits. On a basis goldarsenic deposits at Berikul (Kemerovo oblast) assumed to put an arsenic factory into operation in the end of 1933. Plant at Takeli (Tajikistan) also scheduled to start up in 1933 (production of 150 tonnes; capacity - 1000 tonnes per year). In 85 km from Tashkent and in 12 km from a railway branch there is a deposit at Burchmulla, however to take arsenic from highly oxidised ores by furnacing it was impossible, so it was necessary to search for other decision (refinement). Besides the deposit at Djulfa (Azerbaijan) was discussed, where arsenic stocks then were estimated in 5700 tonnes (the centre maintenance of arsenic of 6%)³⁸⁵. As arsenic meets not in the form of independent mining bodies of industrial value and as of an accompanying element in ores of other metals, arsenic extraction on a boundary of the first and second five-years periods thought as a passing product at extraction of other metals from off-gases of kilns is more often. Perspective was considered copper-smelting group of enterprises at Karabash (Chelyabinsk oblast) where stocks of passing gas arsenic were estimated then in 40000 tonnes and where start-up workshop gas arsenic per 1932 has not taken place. A little smaller stocks of arsenic were surveyed in connection with work Kalatinsky copper-smelting a factory at Kirovgrad (Sverdlovsk oblast). And possibility of catching of arsenic in connection with working out of a deposit of hematites around Kerch was still discussed. Some other variants were surveyed also³⁸⁵.

In 1934 the army also has not been satisfied by rates of a development of industry of arsenic. Anyway for that moment to it backlog still saw (the arsenic industry left "in case of war of requirement of a national economy almost without satisfaction")³⁸⁵.

As a whole army pressing should crown "successes" at the front battles for arsenic. We will result dynamics production of arsenic in the first years of II five-years period, and in the first quarters, when production routinely least. In I quarter 1935 on all arsenic industry it has been manufactured 631,6 tonnes arsenic, and in I quarter 1936 - is more narrow 1073,8 tonnes (including on the Kochkarsky factory - 237 tonnes, at Karabash - 46 tonnes, at Angarsk - 458 tonnes, at Burchmulla - 81 tonnes, at Takeli - 26 tonnes, at Djulfa - 32 tonnes, at Luhumi - 47,6 tonnes, at Darasun - 130 tonnes, at Djetyigara - 49,3 tonnes). The Soviet industry should "surrender" on favour of army. So the "arsenic" direction of the industry has been consolidated though then it was not necessary for the country, except for maintenance of requirement of army in chemical warfare agents.

In summary we name 9 plants which to a beginning of war have adjusted supply of the country by white arsenic for maintenance of the military man production of lewisite and others chemical warfare agents on the basis of arsenic: at Karabash, Burchmulla, Darasun, Djetyigara, Takeli, Luhumi (Rachinskii), Tsanskii, Novo-Troitskii, Angarskii. These productions remained in a mobilisation reserve of the country also many years after war ^431,432. The "arsenic" direction of the industry was useful to the country only after half a century of senseless expenses, during an epoch of bloom of the semi-conductor technics, gallium arsenide has appeared one of which elements.

3.4. THE GENERAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF A CHEMICAL WARFARE

By chemistry of nitrogen and chlorine, sulphur and arsenic of need of the Soviet industry of a chemical warfare were not depleted. Was required also development of industrial chemistry of some other elements - aluminium, phosphorus, fluorine etc. Besides, it was necessary to organise the organic productions not always necessary in time of peace, for example, the big gamma alcohols though human requirements were in many respects depleted only ethyl alcohol. Actually the question stood even more widely. In particular, in one of office letters of 1926 addressed Military Chemical Directorate, have been generalised data about "extraction and production of the raw products necessary for chemical warfare agents"⁴⁰⁴.

Formation of the Soviet aluminium industry concerned not only pilots, but also military chemists - without aluminium trichloride, serving catalyst at synthesis of chloroacetophenone, production of some chemical warfare agents was impossible³⁷⁷. First aluminium trichloride it was necessary to import. However according to decision Council of work and defence from October, 14th, 1931 Supreme council national economy has received the task to organise production aluminium trichloride by January, 1st, 1932 (capacity -1000 tonnes per year)⁷¹. The following decision from July, 4th, 1932 had been defined a factory in Moscow where by December, 1932 it was planned to finish building of the pilot plant on production of aluminium trichloride³⁹³. That production organised on chemical plant No. 93 (at Ugreshje-Moscow), provided production on the same factory of a larger unit chloroacetophenone which was manufactured before war⁴⁰⁴.

However it also was insufficiently. For maintenance scale production of chemical warfare agents raw materials new kinds of production were necessary: alcohols, wood charcoal, calcium carbide, potassium saltpeter, starch, sal ammoniac and talcum (for production of toxic smoke candles)⁴⁰⁴.

Production of alcohols has been adjusted in the USSR in 1930s first of all owing to remarkable "chemical" activity of a management of army.

Ethyl (wine) alcohol (ethanol) was necessary by manufacture mustard gas Levinstein as a source ethene. Therefore on this account the special decision of the Political bureau of Central Committee VKP(b) from the 17th of September 1930 was accepted, and and under a kind of usual vodka a little alcoholic plants have been specially aimed at maintenance with raw material production of mustard gas (Dashuhin alcoholic plant - for chemical plant No. 91 at Stalingrad, Kuibyshev alcoholic plant - for chemical plant No. 102 at Chapaevsk)⁴⁰⁴.

Methyl alcohol (methanol) was necessary for maintenance production of diphosgene on the basis of phosgene. Therefore according to decision Council of work and defense of the USSR from the 4th of July 1932 it planned to finish in the summer of next year construction of plant methanol on chemical group of enterprises at Bobriki (Stalinogorsk). And up to that the army has been compelled to reserve instead of methyl alcohol the waste of timber-chemical manufacture³⁹³. Created on chemical group of enterprises at Stalinogorsk production before the war provided needs in methanol of diphosgene manufactures at Chapaevsk and Dzerzhinsk⁴⁰⁴. In first year Great Patriotic War group of enterprises has been destroyed, however the problem of its restoration has arisen right after the terminations of fight near Moscow, and in March 1942. Committee for the Defense of the State has accepted the decision about a reconstruction of manufactures methanol, chlorine, etc. Workshop methanol has renewed production since the 31st of July 1942⁷²⁰.

Adjustment in Leningrad in 1934 production of propyl alcohol has been proved by necessity of manufacture propyl mustard gas (mustard gas of V.S.Zajkov) which in a mixture with usual (ethyl) mustard gas Levinstein provided nonfreezing of this persistent chemical warfare agent. In first months of Great Patriotic War at a plant No. 96 has been reconstructed workshop on production of isopropyl alcohol⁷²⁰.

Production of isopropyl⁴⁴⁵, isobutyl²⁰³ and pinacolyl⁷²¹721 alcohols became especially actual already after war when it was required to provide industrial production of phosphorous organic chemical warfare agents - sarin, Soviet V-gas and soman.

In table 3.2 the data 1938⁴⁰⁴ and 1948⁴³¹ are cited which show needs of the industry chemical warfare agents of the first generation in raw materials. These data to no small degree differ from calculations of Military Chemical Directorate executed in 1926⁴⁰⁴.

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Continued in pdf.

 

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