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82-418: A Molotov cocktail (among several other names – see § Etymology ) is a hand-thrown incendiary weapon consisting of a frangible container filled with flammable substances and equipped with a fuse (typically a glass bottle filled with flammable liquids sealed with a cloth wick ). In use, the fuse attached to the container is lit and the weapon is thrown, shattering on impact. This ignites

164-407: A ballistic motion in the arm that propels a projectile forward. It is used almost exclusively in athletic events. The throwing motion can be broken down into three basic steps: cocking, accelerating, and releasing. Desired qualities in the action produce a fast, accurate throw. These qualities are affected by the physical attributes of the thrower like height, strength, and flexibility . However it

246-423: A Molotov cocktail and an organized force has become a popular symbol in popular culture , and is often utilized as a weapon in various video games . Hand-thrown Primates are the most proliferative throwers in the animal kingdom, and they typically throw feces as a form of agonistic behavior . Of all primates, humans are by far the most capable throwers, and throw a large variety of projectiles with

328-829: A fine of 3 million roubles (US$ 41,000). Molotov cocktails were reportedly used in the United States for arson attacks on shops and other buildings during the 1992 Los Angeles riots . Molotov cocktails were used by protesters and civilian militia in Ukraine during Euromaidan and the Revolution of Dignity . Protesters during the Ferguson riots also used Molotov cocktails. In Bangladesh , during anti-government protests in 2013 and 2014, many buses and cars were targeted with petrol bombs. A number of people burned to death and many more were injured due to these attacks. During

410-575: A form of exercise . Throwing is thus still performed in many sports and games , particularly ball games , and in throwing sports (especially track and field ) the action is the main determiner of the outcome. Throwing dates back 2 million years to Homo erectus . Development of the offensive throwing of projectiles is mostly a development of the human lineage , although the aimed throwing of sticks and rocks by male chimpanzees during agonistic displays has been observed, first described by Jane Goodall in 1964. "Accumulative throwing", that is,

492-561: A hard surface, the glass would shatter and the contents would instantly ignite, liberating choking fumes of phosphorus pentoxide and sulfur dioxide as well as producing a great deal of heat. Strict instructions were issued to store the grenades safely, preferably underwater and certainly never in a house. Mainly issued to the Home Guard as an anti-tank weapon, it was produced in vast numbers; by August 1941 well over 6,000,000 had been manufactured. There were many who were sceptical about

574-454: A length of cinema film (then composed of highly flammable nitrocellulose ) as a source of ignition. On 29 July 1940, manufacturers Albright & Wilson of Oldbury demonstrated to the RAF how their white phosphorus could be used to ignite incendiary bombs. The demonstration involved throwing glass bottles containing a mixture of petrol and phosphorus at pieces of wood and into a hut. On breaking,

656-477: A light [i.e., a source of ignition]. Put a corner of the material down in front of you, turn the bottle over so that petrol soaks out round the mouth of the bottle and drips on to this corner of the material. Turn the bottle right way up again, hold it in your right hand, most of the blanket bunched beneath the bottle, with your left hand take the blanket near the corner that is wetted with petrol. Wait for your tank. When near enough, your pal [or comrade-in-arms] lights

738-849: A limited extent in both the Pacific War and the European Theater. Napalm was widely used by the US during the Korean War . The ground forces in North Korea holding defensive positions were often outnumbered by Chinese and North Koreans, but US Air Force and Navy aviators had control of the air over nearly all of the Korean Peninsula . Hence, the American and other UN aviators used napalm for close air support of

820-482: A lump of metallic sodium to ignite a mixture of petrol and diesel fuel. The Polish Home Army developed a version which ignited on impact without the need of a wick. Ignition was caused by a reaction between concentrated sulfuric acid mixed with the fuel and a mixture of potassium chlorate and sugar which was crystallized from solution onto a rag attached to the bottle. During the Norwegian campaign in 1940

902-400: A method of ignition has been to attach storm matches to the side of the bottle, as these are less likely to be put out by wind. Some examples are fitted with ballast for improved throwing accuracy (such as filling 1 ⁄ 3 of the bottle with sand). In action, the wick/match is lit and the bottle hurled at a target such as a vehicle or fortification. When the bottle smashes on impact,

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984-404: A much greater complexity, efficacy and accuracy. Throughout human evolution , humans (especially Homo sapiens ) have used hand-thrown projectiles for hunting and in warfare — first through rock-throwing , then refined weapon-throwing (e.g. spear , axe or dart ), and into modern day with payload-carrying devices such as hand grenades , flashbangs and tear gas canisters. To overcome

1066-414: A non-agonistic way, when the target is a cooperating agent who will perform a somewhat opposite action called catch . Humans are most likely the only animals capable of throwing with such an intent. This is an almost exclusively intraspecific behavior, whose goal is to exchange artifacts without having to shorten the distance between the participants. The seemingly unique exception to this intraspecificity

1148-649: A part of an incendiary weapon , napalm causes severe burns . During combustion , napalm deoxygenates the available air and generates carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide , so asphyxiation , unconsciousness, and death are also possible. Napalm is lethal even for dug-in enemy personnel, as it flows into foxholes , tunnels, and bunkers , and drainage and irrigation ditches and other improvised troop shelters. Even people in undamaged shelters can be killed by hyperthermia , radiant heat , dehydration , asphyxiation , smoke exposure, or carbon monoxide poisoning . Crews of armored fighting vehicles are also vulnerable, due to

1230-608: A recipe for producing Molotov cocktails to civilians through Ukrainian television, which included the use of styrofoam as a thickening agent to aid in helping the burning liquid stick to vehicles or other targets. The Pravda Brewery of Lviv , which converted from making beer to Molotov cocktails, said that its recipe was "3 cups polystyrene, 2 cups grated soap, 500 millilitres gasoline, 100 millilitres oil, 1 jumbo tampon fuse." The Russian media control organisation Roskomnadzor sued Twitter for not removing instructions for how to prepare and use molotov cocktails, so that Twitter had to pay

1312-605: A statement that confirmed U.K. support for U.S. napalm attacks". Napalm became an intrinsic element of US military action during the Vietnam War as forces made increasing use of it for its tactical and psychological effects. Reportedly about 352,000 tonnes (388,000 short tons; 346,000 long tons) of US napalm bombs were dropped in the region between 1963 and 1973. The US Air Force and US Navy used napalm with great effect against all kinds of targets, such as troops, tanks, buildings, jungles, and even railroad tunnels . The effect

1394-531: A stout iron bar in the tracks can immobilise the vehicle, leaving it at the mercy of further petrol bombs – which will suffocate the engine and possibly the crew – or an explosive charge or anti-tank mine. By August 1940, the War Office produced training instructions for the creation and use of Molotov cocktails. The instructions suggested scoring the bottles vertically with a diamond to ensure breakage and providing fuel-soaked rag, windproof matches or

1476-507: A veteran of the International Brigades , later publicised his recommended method of using them: We made use of "petrol bombs" roughly as follows: take a 2lb glass jam jar. Fill with petrol. Take a heavy curtain, half a blanket, or some other heavy material. Wrap this over the mouth of the jar, tie it round the neck with string, leave the ends of the material hanging free. When you want to use it have somebody standing by with

1558-408: Is mainly the throwing motion mechanics and the thrower's ability to coordinate them that determines the quality of the throw. Determining the desired qualities of the throwing motion is difficult to assess due to the extremely short amount of time that it takes professionals to perform the motion. Throwing mechanisms, along with projectiles themselves, rank amongst the oldest technological artefacts in

1640-488: Is more easily dispersed, and adheres to its targets. These traits make it both effective and controversial. It has been widely used from the air and from the ground, the largest use having been via airdropped bombs in World War II in the incendiary attacks on Japanese cities in 1945. It was used also for close air support roles in the Korean War , the Vietnam War , and various others. Napalm has also fueled most of

1722-402: Is often due to a shortage of equivalent military-issued munitions. Despite the weapon's improvised nature and uncertain quality, many modern militaries exercise the use of Molotov cocktails. However, Molotov cocktails are not always improvised in the field. It is not uncommon for them to be mass-produced to a certain standard as part of preparation for combat. Some examples of this being done are

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1804-509: Is speculated to be purely recreational. [REDACTED] Media related to Throwing at Wikimedia Commons Napalm Napalm is an incendiary mixture of a gelling agent and a volatile petrochemical (usually gasoline or diesel fuel ). The name is a portmanteau of two of the constituents of the original thickening and gelling agents: coprecipitated aluminium salts of na phthenic acid and palm itic acid . A team led by chemist Louis Fieser originally developed napalm for

1886-417: Is very limited; a turret-mounted machine gun has a very slow traverse and cannot hope to fend off attackers coming from all directions. Once sufficiently close, it is possible to hide where the tank's gunner cannot see: "The most dangerous distance away from a tank is 200 yards; the safest distance is six inches." Petrol bombs will soon produce a pall of blinding smoke, and a well-placed explosive package or even

1968-542: Is when humans play a game called fetch with a domestic dog , although in that situation the dog always catches, never throws. Such use is so common that it is a common metaphor for figuratively sending something to someone (e.g. to throw a bone ). An other very common use of the behavior is for disposal. The employed term is then typically throwing away , and it too is very commonly used figuratively. Research by MythBusters found that men and women throw almost equally well with their non-dominant hand, suggesting that

2050-611: The 2014–17 Venezuelan protests , protesters used Molotov cocktails similar to those used by demonstrators in other countries. As the 2017 Venezuelan protests intensified, demonstrators began using "Puputovs" (a portmanteau of the words "poo-poo" and "Molotov"), with glass containers filled with excrement being thrown at authorities after the PSUV ruling-party official, Jacqueline Faría , mocked protesters who had to crawl through sewage in Caracas ' Guaire River to avoid tear gas. On 8 May,

2132-399: The 2019–20 Hong Kong protests , riots broke out and Molotov cocktails were used to attack the police and create roadblocks. They were also used to attack an MTR station, causing severe damage. A journalist was also struck by a Molotov cocktail during the protests. Molotov cocktails were used by some during the riots following the 2020 George Floyd protests in the United States. During

2214-693: The First Indochina War and the Algerian War . At first, the canisters were simply pushed out the side doors of Ju 52 planes that had been captured in Germany, later mostly B-26 bombers were used. Peruvian forces employed napalm throughout the 1960s against both communist insurgents and the Matsés indigenous group; four prominent Matsés villages were bombed during the 1964 Matsés massacres  [ es ] . A variant of napalm

2296-756: The Pacific War . Napalm was often deployed against Japanese fortifications on Saipan , Iwo Jima , the Philippines , and Okinawa , where deeply dug-in Japanese troops refused to surrender. Following a shortage of conventional thermite bombs, General Curtis LeMay , among other high-ranking servicemen, ordered air raids on Japan to start using napalm instead. A 1946 report by the National Defense Research Council claims that 40,000 tons of M69s were dropped on Japan throughout

2378-603: The Soviet Union attacked Finland, starting what came to be known as the Winter War . The Finnish perfected the design and tactical use of the petrol bomb. The fuel for the Molotov cocktail was refined to a slightly sticky mixture of alcohol, kerosene , tar , and potassium chlorate . Further refinements included the attachment of wind-proof matches or a phial of chemicals that would ignite on breakage, thereby removing

2460-612: The US Frangible Grenade M1 for example). The name "Molotov cocktail" ( Finnish : Molotovin cocktail ) was coined by the Finns during the Winter War in 1939. The name was a pejorative reference to Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov , who was one of the architects of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact on the eve of World War II . The name's origin came from the propaganda Molotov produced during

2542-662: The US Chemical Warfare Service in 1942 in a secret laboratory at Harvard University . Of immediate first interest was its viability as an incendiary device to be used in fire bombing campaigns during World War II ; its potential to be coherently projected into a solid stream that would carry for distance (instead of the bloomy fireball of pure gasoline ) resulted in widespread adoption in infantry and tank/boat mounted flamethrowers as well. Napalm burns at temperatures ranging from 800 to 1,200 °C (1,470 to 2,190 °F). It burns longer than gasoline,

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2624-513: The flamethrowers (tank-, ship-, and infantry-based) used since World War II, giving them much greater range. The development of napalm was precipitated by the use of jellied gasoline mixtures by the Allied forces during World War II . Latex , used in these early forms of incendiary devices, became scarce, since natural rubber was almost impossible to obtain after the Japanese army captured

2706-583: The musculature , where it would continue to burn day after day." On 4 July 1942, the first test occurred on the football field near the Harvard Business School . Tests under operational conditions were carried out at Jefferson Proving Ground on condemned farm buildings and subsequently at Dugway Proving Ground on buildings designed and constructed to represent those to be found in German and Japanese towns . This new mixture of chemicals

2788-427: The "Molotov cocktail", a bottle filled with resin, petrol and tar which if thrown on top of a tank will ignite, and if you throw half a dozen or more on it you have them cooked. It is quite an effective thing. If you can use your ingenuity, I give you a picture of a [road] block with two houses close to the block, overlooking it. There are many villages like that. Out of the top windows is the place to drop these things on

2870-573: The NDRC showing the highest technological level. These incendiary devices employed the most technologically advanced fillers in the conflict. The M1 frangible grenade was the standard US device, but each division of the army could come up with its own. Two non-industrial models of these grenades were developed and manufactured in a certain quantity. In all, about five thousand were manufactured. The frangible grenades featured standardized chemical igniters, some were specific to each flammable filler. Most of

2952-612: The No. 1 Weapon in Korea". British Prime Minister Winston Churchill privately criticized the use of napalm in Korea, writing that it was "very cruel", as US/UN forces, he wrote, were "splashing it all over the civilian population", "tortur[ing] great masses of people". He conveyed these sentiments to U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Omar Bradley , who "never published the statement". Publicly, Churchill allowed Bradley "to issue

3034-643: The Norwegian Army lacking suitable anti-tank weaponry had to rely on petrol bombs and other improvised weapons to fight German armored vehicles. Instructions from Norwegian High Command sent to army units in April 1940 encouraged soldiers to start ad-hoc production of "Hitler cocktails" (a different take on the Finnish nickname for the weapon) to combat tanks and armored cars. During the campaign there were instances of petrol bombs being relatively effective against

3116-637: The PIRA became more co-ordinated, it shifted to using IEDs rather than petrol bombs. During the Second Battle of Fallujah in 2004, U.S. Marines employed Molotov cocktails made with "one part liquid laundry detergent, two parts gas [gasoline]" while clearing houses "when contact is made in a house and the enemy must be burned out". The tactic "was developed in response to the enemy's tactics" of guerrilla warfare and particularly martyrdom tactics which often resulted in U.S. Marine casualties. The cocktail

3198-799: The UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) in 1980. Protocol III of the CCW restricts the use of all incendiary weapons , but a number of countries have not acceded to all of the protocols of the CCW. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), countries are considered a party to the convention, which entered into force as international law in December 1983, as long as they ratify at least two of

3280-748: The United States, Molotov cocktails are considered " destructive devices " under the National Firearms Act and are regulated by the ATF . Wil Casey Floyd, from Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin , was arrested after throwing Molotov cocktails at Seattle police officers during a protest in May 2016; he pleaded guilty for using the incendiary devices in February 2018. In Simpson County, Kentucky , 20-year-old Trey Alexander Gwathney-Law attempted to burn Franklin-Simpson County Middle School with five Molotov cocktails; he

3362-590: The Winter War, mainly his declaration on Soviet state radio that incendiary bombing missions over Finland were actually "airborne humanitarian food deliveries" for their "starving" neighbours. As a result, the Finns sarcastically dubbed the Soviet incendiary cluster bombs " Molotov bread baskets " ( Finnish : Molotovin leipäkori ) in reference to Molotov's propaganda broadcasts. When the hand-held bottle firebomb

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3444-451: The accuracy that primates can achieve, and it is more commonly used as a warning to aggressors. If one is willing to consider dropping as a special case of throwing, then one can include birds, most notably vultures , as some species are known to drop stones in order to break shells or other hard food sources on the ground. Orcas are often observed throwing seals in the air, usually by hitting them with their caudal fin. This behavior

3526-611: The anti-invasion preparations of the British Home Guard during World War II and the Ukrainian volunteer units during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine . During World War II , Molotov cocktails were even factory produced in several countries, such as Finland , Nazi Germany , the Soviet Union , Sweden , and the United States ; some featuring specially designed frangible containers and fuses (such as

3608-416: The archaeological records. They vary greatly in size and complexity, from the hand-held and extremely simple sling , to the very heavy and complex catapults . These two types of devices have in common with hand-throwing the fact that the only requirements for their projectiles are size and weight. In that sense they differ from more specialized throwing techniques such as those developed in archery , where

3690-562: The biophysical limitations of throwing by hand, humans also designed tools to improve the efficiency of their throwing techniques. The atlatl , amentum , sling and various models of catapults are notable examples of throwing mechanisms . With the advent of bow and arrow , and later the gunpowder -based firearms , human innovation into throwing tools as ranged weapons essentially obsoleted, but throwing either by hand or with tools has persisted for recreational purposes (such as thrower tools in fishing and clay pigeon shooting ) or as

3772-447: The burning liquid and to create clouds of thick, choking smoke. There also exist variations on the Molotov cocktail-concept where the bottle is filled with a smoke generating mixture such as sulfur trioxide dissolved in chlorosulfonic acid . These so-called "smoke bottles" do not need a source for ignition, as the mixture reacts with the air once the bottle is smashed. Improvised incendiary devices of this type were used in warfare for

3854-557: The efficacy of Molotov cocktails and SIPs grenades against the more modern German tanks. Weapon designer Stuart Macrae witnessed a trial of the SIPs grenade at Farnborough : "There was some concern that, if the tank drivers could not pull up quickly enough and hop out, they were likely to be frizzled to death, but after looking at the bottles they said they would be happy to take a chance." The drivers were proved right, trials on modern British tanks confirmed that Molotov and SIP grenades caused

3936-669: The ensuing cloud of fuel droplets and vapour is ignited by the attached wick, causing an immediate fireball followed by spreading flames as the remainder of the fuel is consumed. Other flammable liquids, such as diesel fuel , methanol , turpentine , jet fuel , acetone , and isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol), have been used in place of, or combined with, petrol. Thickening agents, such as solvents , extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam (known colloquially as styrofoam ), baking soda , petroleum jelly , tar , strips of tyre tubing , nitrocellulose , motor oil , rubber cement , detergent and dish soap , have been added to promote adhesion of

4018-736: The first time in the Spanish Civil War between July 1936 and April 1939, before they became known as "Molotov cocktails". In 1936, General Francisco Franco ordered Spanish Nationalist forces to use the weapon against Soviet T-26 tanks supporting the Spanish Republicans in a failed assault on the Nationalist stronghold of Seseña , near Toledo , 40 km (25 mi) south of Madrid . After that, both sides used simple petrol bombs set fire with toxic gas or petrol-soaked blankets with some success. Tom Wintringham ,

4100-527: The five protocols. Approximately 25 years after the General Assembly adopted it, it was reported that the US signed it on 21 January 2009, Barack Obama 's first full day in office as president. Its ratification is subject to a reservation that says that the treaty can be ignored if it would save civilian lives. The UN has also acknowledged that the US had ratified the CCW in March 1995, 13 years after

4182-402: The flammable substances contained in the bottle and spreads flames as the fuel burns. Due to their relative ease of production, Molotov cocktails are typically improvised weapons . Their improvised usage spans criminals , gangsters , rioters , football hooligans , urban guerrillas , terrorists , irregular soldiers , freedom fighters , and even regular soldiers ; usage in the latter case

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4264-425: The frangible devices were made in an improvised way, with no standardization regarding the bottle and filling. The frangible grenades were eventually declared obsolete, due to the very limited destructive effect. 1107 frangible, M1, NP type were supplied to the navy and its units for field use at Iwo Jima . The United States Marine Corps developed a version during World War II that used a tube of nitric acid and

4346-449: The globe. Some are more formal than others but the weapon is often given a descriptive name in the respective language. A Molotov cocktail is a glass bottle containing a flammable substance such as petrol (gasoline), alcohol or a napalm -like mixture and a source of ignition, such as a burning cloth wick , held in place by the bottle's stopper. The wick is usually soaked in alcohol or kerosene rather than petrol. For winter warfare ,

4428-474: The ground troops. Napalm was used most notably at the beginning of the Battle of Outpost Harry . Eighth Army chemical officer Donald Bode reported that, on an "average good day", UN pilots used 260,000 liters (70,000 US gal; 58,000 imp gal) of napalm, with approximately 230,000 liters (60,000 US gal; 50,000 imp gal) of this thrown by US forces. The New York Herald Tribune hailed "Napalm,

4510-579: The hashtag #puputov became the top trending hashtag on Twitter in Venezuela, as reports of authorities vomiting after being drenched in excrement began to circulate. A month later, on 4 June 2017, during protests against Donald Trump in Portland, Oregon , police claimed protesters began throwing balloons filled with "unknown, foul-smelling liquid" at officers. As incendiary devices, Molotov cocktails are illegal to manufacture or possess in many regions. In

4592-409: The intense heat conducted through the armor. Even in the case of a near miss, the heat can be enough to disable a vehicle. One firebomb released from a low-flying plane can damage an area of 2,100 square meters (2,500 sq yd). International law does not specifically prohibit the use of napalm or other incendiaries against military targets, but use against civilian populations was banned by

4674-577: The intention of using them against enemy tanks . The Finns had found that they were effective when used in the right way and in sufficient numbers. Although the experience of the Spanish Civil War received more publicity, the more sophisticated petroleum warfare tactics of the Finns were not lost on British commanders. In his 5 June address to LDV leaders, General Ironside said: I want to develop this thing they developed in Finland, called

4756-651: The lighter tanks employed in Norway by Germany, such as the Panzer I and Panzer II . During the Troubles , both the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) and civilians used petrol bombs, although with different uses. Civilians tended to use petrol bombs and rocks against police officers in riots; however, the PIRA tended to use them in attacks rather than in self-defence. Over time, as

4838-490: The matches with a small ampoule inside the bottle; it ignited when the bottle broke. By spring 1940 they had produced 542,104 bottles. Early in 1940, with the prospect of immediate invasion , the possibilities of the petrol bomb gripped the imagination of the British public. For laypersons, the petrol bomb had the benefit of using entirely familiar and available materials, and they were quickly improvised in large numbers, with

4920-772: The maximal speed attainable by chimpanzees, at about 30 km/h (19 mph). This ability reflects the ability of the human shoulder muscles and tendons to store elasticity until it is needed to propel an object. Types of throws include overhand throws, underhand throws and using both hands. Overhand throws are thrown predominantly above the shoulder, underhand throws below. Overhand throws are usually significantly faster, and ball speeds of 105 miles per hour (169 km/h) have been recorded in baseball . Thrown objects can often be intentionally spun for stability or aerodynamic effects. The notion of throwing typically refers to an action performed without mechanical assistance, but mechanical assistance, as long as it does not involve

5002-503: The need to pre-ignite the bottle, and leaving the bottle about one-third empty was found to make breaking more likely. A British War Office report dated June 1940 noted that: The Finns' policy was to allow the Russian tanks to penetrate their defences, even inducing them to do so by 'canalising' them through gaps and concentrating their small arms fire on the infantry following them. The tanks that penetrated were taken on by gun fire in

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5084-535: The occupants of the tanks "no inconvenience whatsoever." Wintringham, though enthusiastic about improvised weapons, cautioned against a reliance on petrol bombs and repeatedly emphasised the importance of using explosive charges. The US army designated Molotov cocktails as frangible grenades. They presented a notable amount of variations, from those that used thin fuel with varied ignition systems, to those that used obscurants and chemical weapons . Various frangible grenade designs were developed, with those investiged by

5166-587: The open and by small parties of men armed with explosive charges and petrol bombs in the forests and villages... The essence of the policy was the separation of the AFVs from the infantry, as once on their own the tank has many blind spots and once brought to a stop can be disposed of at leisure. Molotov cocktails were eventually mass-produced by the Alko corporation at its Rajamäki distillery , bundled with matches to light them. A 500 ml (0.53 US qt) bottle

5248-406: The petrol soaked corner of the blanket. Throw the bottle and blanket as soon as this corner is flaring. (You cannot throw it far.) See that it drops in front of the tank. The blanket should catch in the tracks or in a cog-wheel, or wind itself round an axle. The bottle will smash, but the petrol should soak the blanket well enough to make a really healthy fire which will burn the rubber wheels on which

5330-553: The phosphorus was exposed to the air and spontaneously ignited; the petrol also burned, resulting in a fierce fire. Because of safety concerns, the RAF was not interested in white phosphorus as a source of ignition, but the idea of a self-igniting petrol bomb took hold. Initially known as an A.W. bomb, it was officially named the No. 76 Grenade , but more commonly known as the SIP (Self-Igniting Phosphorus) grenade. The perfected list of ingredients

5412-439: The projectiles have very strong requirements for their shape. Throwing is used for propelling weapons such as stones or spears at enemies, predators, or prey. Track and field contains four major throwing events: discus throw , hammer throw , javelin throw and shot put . The weight throw is the fifth most common field throwing event, while the club throw is unique to disability athletics . Throwing can be performed in

5494-420: The release of chemical or electric energy, does not fundamentally change the nature of the action, and can thus be considered as throwing too. As such, throwing mechanisms will be discussed in this section. The overhand throwing motion is a complex motor skill that involves the entire body in a series of linked movements starting from the legs, progressing up through the pelvis and trunk, and culminating in

5576-514: The rubber plantations in Malaya , Indonesia , Vietnam , and Thailand . This shortage of natural rubber prompted chemists at US companies such as DuPont and Standard Oil of New Jersey , and researchers at Harvard University , to develop factory-made alternatives: artificial rubber for all uses, including vehicle tires, tank tracks, gaskets, hoses, medical supplies and rain clothing. A team of chemists led by Louis Fieser at Harvard University

5658-405: The sexual differences were probably due to differences in training. Throwing is rare among non-primates but, provided the definition is relaxed to entail for instance spitting , several examples can be found amongst various taxa, such as camelids , cobras or the archerfish . Elephants have been observed throwing rocks and logs, using their trunk to grab and flick items, although they lack

5740-402: The tank as it passes the block. It may only stop it for two minutes there, but it will be quite effective. Wintringham advised that a tank that was isolated from supporting infantry was potentially vulnerable to men who had the required determination and cunning to get close. Rifles or even a shotgun would be sufficient to persuade the crew to close all the hatches, and then the view from the tank

5822-613: The tank track runs, set fire to the carburettor or frizzle the crew. Do not play with these things. They are highly dangerous. The Battle of Khalkhin Gol , a border conflict of 1939 ostensibly between Mongolia and Manchukuo , saw heavy fighting between Japanese and Soviet forces. Short of anti-tank equipment, Japanese infantry attacked Soviet tanks with gasoline-filled bottles. Japanese infantrymen claimed that several hundred Soviet tanks had been destroyed this way, though Soviet loss records do not support this assessment. On 30 November 1939,

5904-670: The targeted throwing of rocks at a specific target, leading to the gradual accumulation of a stone pile, has also been described for chimpanzees. Wooden darts were used for hunting at least from the Middle Paleolithic , by Homo heidelbergensis . The spear-thrower is a development of the Upper Paleolithic , certainly in use by the Solutrean (c. 20,000 years ago). Human athletes can achieve throwing speeds close to 145 km/h (90 mph), far in excess of

5986-578: The war, damaging 64 cities and causing more deaths than the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki . German fortifications and transportation hubs were targeted with napalm during both Operation Overlord and the Battle of the Bulge , sometimes in conjunction with artillery. During the Allied siege of La Rochelle , napalm was dropped on the outskirts of the Royan pocket , inadvertently killing French civilians. The Royal Air Force (RAF) used napalm to

6068-506: Was a less expedient alternative to white phosphorus mortar rounds or propane tanks detonated with C4 (nicknamed the "House Guest"), all of which proved effective at burning out engaged enemy combatants. During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine , the Ukrainian Defense Ministry told civilians to make Molotov cocktails, locally called " Bandera smoothies", to fight Russian troops. The defense ministry distributed

6150-426: Was developed to attack and destroy Soviet tanks, the Finns called it the "Molotov cocktail", as "a drink to go with his food parcels". Despite the now infamous name, the formal Finnish military term for the weapon type was, and continues to be, "burn-bottle" ( Finnish : polttopullo , Fenno-Swedish : brännflaska ). The weapon most often known as the Molotov cocktail goes under a great variety of other names around

6232-404: Was filled with a mixture of petrol and paraffin, plus a small amount of tar. The basic bottle had two long pyrotechnic storm matches attached to either side. Before use, one or both of the matches were lit; when the bottle broke on impact, the mixture ignited. The storm matches were found to be safer to use than a burning rag on the mouth of the bottle. There was also an "A bottle". This replaced

6314-510: Was first approved for use on the front lines in 1943. The first use of napalm in combat was in August 1943 during the Allied invasion of Sicily , when American troops, using napalm-fueled flamethrowers , burned down a wheat field where German forces were believed to be hiding. Napalm incendiary bombs were first used the following year, although the exact date and battle are disputed. Two-thirds of napalm bombs produced during WWII were used in

6396-414: Was found guilty of making and possessing illegal firearms and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2018. Due to the Molotov's ease of production and use by civilian forces, the Molotov cocktail has become a symbol of civil uprising and revolution . The Molotov's extensive use by civilian, and partisan forces has also thereby led to the Molotov becoming a symbol representing civil unrest. The contrast of

6478-546: Was not always purely physical as napalm had psychological effects on the enemy as well. During the Greek Civil War , after the capture of Mount Vitsi during Operation Pyrsos , the Hellenic Air Force bombed Mount Grammos —a stronghold for the opposing Democratic Army of Greece —with US-supplied napalm. The French Air Force regularly used napalm for close air support of ground operations in both

6560-900: Was produced in Rhodesia for a type of ordnance known as Frantan from 1968–1978 and was used by the Rhodesian Air Force during the Rhodesian Bush War . At around the same time, the South African Air Force targeted guerrilla bases in Angola with napalm during the South African Border War . In 2018, Turkey was accused of using napalm in Operation Olive Branch against Kurdish nationalist groups. When used as

6642-438: Was the first to develop synthetic napalm during 1942. "The production of napalm was first entrusted to Nuodex Products, and by the middle of April 1942 they had developed a brown, dry powder that was not sticky by itself, but when mixed with gasoline turned into an extremely sticky and flammable substance." One of Fieser's colleagues suggested adding phosphorus to the mix which increased the "ability to penetrate deeply [...] into

6724-400: Was white phosphorus, benzene , water and a two-inch strip of raw rubber; all in a half-pint bottle sealed with a crown stopper . Over time, the rubber would slowly dissolve, making the contents slightly sticky, and the mixture would separate into two layers – this was intentional, and the grenade should not be shaken to mix the layers, as this would only delay ignition. When thrown against

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