True Life Tuesday: Attack of the Deadmen

 I want to provide a warning that this post is somewhat graphic.

The Attack of the Dead Men is also known as the Battle of Osowiec Fortress and occurred on August 6, 1915. Osowiec Fortress is located in present-day northeastern Poland. The German army had tried to take the fortress on several occasions in September 1914, February 1915, March 1915 and early July 1915. The German army decided to use chlorine and bromine gasses and try taking the fortress again. 

Around 4am, after waiting 10 days for favorable winds, the German forces began a massive auxiliary bombardment followed by the release of the gasses. The gasses blankets an area of 8 kilometers (26,246 feet) wide and 20 kilometers (65,616 feet) deep. Weapons and equipment corroded almost immediately and trees died upon exposure. Of the 800 Russian garrisons only 100 survived the attack. The Germans advanced forward expecting no resistance. However, the Russians were able to launch a counter attack. The Russian soldiers were covered in blood and lung tissue that they expelled while they were coughing. The chlorine mixing with the moisture in their lungs formed hydrochloric acid which slowing dissolved their organs. While seeing the "dead men" attacking the Germans retreated in panic and broke ranks. Many were caught in their own barbed wire traps and ended up dying. By 11am the Germans had retreated. However, the fortress was now seen as threatened so the Russians demolished much of the area and retreated on August 18, 1915.