author
Victor Lefebure
A chemist, military officer, and early analyst of chemical warfare, he wrote with unusual urgency about how science and industry could shape modern conflict. His best-known book, The Riddle of the Rhine, blends technical knowledge with a stark warning about the future of war.
1 Audiobook
The Riddle of the Rhine: Chemical Strategy in Peace and War
by Victor Lefebure
About the author
Born in 1891 in London, Victor Lefebure studied at University College London and earned a BSc before beginning professional work in chemistry. During the First World War he served in the British war effort on chemical matters, and his later honors reflected both scientific and military service.
Lefebure is best remembered as the author of The Riddle of the Rhine: Chemical Strategy in Peace and War (1923), a book that examined Germany's chemical industry, poison gas, and the wider strategic importance of chemical science after World War I. His writing stands out for turning specialist knowledge into a public warning, making complex industrial and military questions understandable to general readers.
He died in 1947. Today, his work is often read as both a historical account and an early attempt to explain how scientific innovation can reshape international power.