The Holocaust Gas Chambers were not used for execution

DEBATE MOTION: The Holocaust Gas Chambers were not used for mass executionsStance: GovernmentBurden of Proof: The Holocaust Gas Chambers were not used for mass executionsThe Holocaust, possibly one of the most sensitive and controversial topics ever. Before I start with my case, I would like to define this debate and several terms in the motion. Gas Chambers: A gas chamber is an apparatus for killing humans or animals with gas, consisting of a sealed chamber into which a poisonous or asphyxiant gas is introduced. (C and P directly from Wikipedia) Therefore, we should distinguish gas chambers from gas vans. Execution:the carrying out or putting into effect of a plan, order, or course of action. Therefore, we should distinguish between execution, in which death is intentional, to torture, in which death is sometimes intentional but most of the time not. This debate is not a debate based upon the complete assumption that I, pro, fully deny the Holocaust. My personal opinions are this: something happened, but not the way it was presented. This debate is also not an anti-semitic debate, unlike the last one based on a similar issue (. http://www.debate.org...) in which the contendor accused "holocaust believers" (the government side) of being zionists. This debate is not that; I sincerely hope that my opponent won't call me a Nazi or a "Stupid Commie" and debate me on the points I present. However, this debate is a debate on the existence of the execution gas chambers (as apart from execution gas vans, in which I need to do some more research in) such as those present at Auschwitz. According to conventional historical sources, gas chambers were first used by Third Reich Authorities to gas 600 Soviet prisoners who were unable to work with a compound commonly known to the world as Zyklon B. Zyklon B is the trade name of a pesticide product used during the pre-war era. As the war intensified, Gas executions (according to mainstream historical sources) increased in size; according to the Israel-funded Nizkor Project, 1.2 million Jews died as a result of these gas chambers. However, questions started rising and soon the cult of Holocaust deniers began to increase; most Holocaust deniers were also Neo-Nazis in their political persuasion. As I have stated before, I am neither a racist nor a neo-nazi. However, the truth (or at least my version of it) has to be revealed. And I will do so. I would like to introduce my first two cases, while I leave the third case to be developed in the next round. Contention One: Zyklon B is not sufficient enough to kill human beings and is harmful towards those who operate it tooAn Introduction to Zyklon BZyklon B is the commercial name of a cyanide based pesticide. 3200ppm is the ideal ppm of HCN particles for execution. 100ppm is enough to kill a normal human being in less than 60 minutes (3200ppm would kill a person in 10 minutes). Zyklon B's patent was awarded in 1926; it soon replaced Zyklon A as the main fumitigation substance of the day. Zyklon B was the substance that was first tested on Russian soldiers in 1941 by Captain Karl Fristch (according to the mentally unstable Rudolf Hess). The co-inventor of Zyklon B was executed in 1946 by British authorities for the role he played in supplying Zyklon B to Gas Chambers. Harm Toward ExecutionerThe toxic effects of Prussic Acid are high; one needs absolute chemical protection from Prussic Acid to be safe from it's threats. A gas mask is not sufficient enough to be safe from the threats. Therefore, it would be logical for the Germans to utlize a tube system in which Zyklon B would have to be prepared in the tube and the gas would then have to come down from there. An inspection of the site showed that there was indeed no tube connected to the ceiling (as previously believed). As witness have and reports have repeatedly shown, the gas would be given to an officer, who would then bring it to the gas chambers and open the Zyklon B cans. There are two contradictions or mistake in this method; to drop the Zyklon B into the gas chambers like that would be made upon the fact that windows are absent. The gas chambers were also never heated, allowing dampness to build up within the gas chamber. Zyklon B and dampness are incompatible; therefore, when the Zyklon B is dropped into the gas chambers, it would cease to have any effects on the subjects of the gas chamber. Another contradiction shown here is this: the designers of the gas chambers never consulted with any American execution equipment engineer (as America was the only other country executing it's condemned with gas chambers) and it would be hard to assume that the German Designers instructed with building these gas chambers came up with the model themselves. Gas execution is a hard and dangerous process for the intended victim and the executioneer; safety precautions must be taken into consideration. Inability to Kill and an Insensible Way to Commit GenocideZyklon B is a very hazardous substance, but the ability for it to kill a large number of people must be based on its ability to let gas circulate around the room. However, this was impossible; if the gas chambers did kill that many people (1.2 million), then conditions in the gas chambers would have to be overcrowded. In order for the gas to kill all the inhabitants of the chamber, it would in turn kill the person observing and verifying the deaths of all the inhabitants of the chamber as well. The design of theWith all doors in the gas chamber open inwards (allowing the collection of bodies to be faster), Zyklon B gas must have surely escaped from the chamber. Relating to it's designs, the Gas Chambers at Auschwitz were directly adjacent to the hospital; why would it have been logical to built something, in which gas would escape, directly adjacent to a hospital? Apart from this, the gas chambers would have to be rubbed with ammonia before the next batch of prisoners come in; however, due to a shortage of ammonia, they were unable to this. Yet we find no cases of guards dying from cyanide poisoining from the lack of ammonia. Contention Two: The Design of the Chambers initially suited more fumigation purposes rather than execution onesDesign Specification for an Execution ChamberAn execution chamber is initially an airtight chamber in which the gas, usually a mixture of sodium cyanide and sulfuric acid, would then be applied through a vent somewhere in the gas chamber. By then, the HCN would already be in it's lethal form (through previouos preparation of the gas) and when applied, would take less than four minutes to kill the condemned. The chamber should be built with steel or plastic PVC. It operates on negative pressure, as it contains highly lethal gas and any leak would be inwards, not outwards. Zyklon B is not recommended, due to it's long time to get the lethal gaseous content out. The execution chamber has to be efficient at killing people at a fast pace (especially in the case of German ones). Design Specifications for a Fumigation ChamberA fumigation is sealable and allows the circulation of air. It needs to have a means of creating an equal distribution of lethal gaseous content around the chamber. It must be sealed, but as stated before, it must allow air circulation; the chamber must therefore have means of replacing poisoinous gas with fresh air. The temperature of the walls of the fumigation chamber should be around 10-30 degrees celsius. As we can see, fumigation chambers would have a free flow of air from windows or ventilation holes dug up atop of the ceiling. Fumigation would take around 1-2 hoursComparison between both to the design specifications of a Nazi Gas ChamberThe designs for a fumigation chamber matches the design of Nazi Gas Chambers; Nazi Gas chambers had open windows and ventilation systems for fresh air to quickly replace cyanide gas. Apart from this, the small confined spaces of the chambers (which would have never held as many people as it theoritcally should have) would mean that the Nazis never wanted it to be used for large scale executions. Apart from this, the design of the gas chambers to be initially connected to the crematories would result in an explosion and the destruction of the gas chambers (as a result of cold and damp conditions). Perhaps the Holocaust did happen. And perhaps it wasn't misrepresented. But that is the opponent's Burden of Proof.