Molotov cocktail

AMolotov cocktail(among several other names –see§ Etymology) is ahand-thrownincendiary weaponconsisting of afrangiblecontainerfilled withflammablesubstances and equipped with afuse(typically aglass bottlefilled withflammable liquidssealed with aclothwick). In use, the fuse attached to the container is lit and the weapon is thrown, shattering on impact. This ignites the flammable substances contained in the bottle and spreads flames as the fuel burns.
Due to their relative ease of production, Molotov cocktails are typicallyimprovised weapons. Their improvised usage spanscriminals,gangsters,rioters,football hooligans,urban guerrillas,terrorists,irregular soldiers,freedom fighters, and evenregular soldiers; usage in the latter case 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 the anti-invasion preparations of theBritish Home Guard during World War IIand theUkrainian volunteer unitsduring the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. DuringWorld War II, Molotov cocktails were evenfactoryproduced in several countries, such asFinland,Nazi Germany,theSoviet Union,Sweden,and theUnited States;some featuring specially designedfrangiblecontainersand fuses(such as theUSFrangible Grenade M1for example).
The name "Molotov cocktail" (Finnish:Molotovin cocktail) was coined by theFinnsduring theWinter Warin 1939.The name was a pejorative reference to Sovietforeign ministerVyacheslav Molotov, who was one of the architects of theMolotov–Ribbentrop Pacton the eve ofWorld War II.
The name's origin came from thepropagandaMolotov produced during the Winter War, mainly his declaration on Soviet state radio thatincendiary bombingmissions over Finland were actually "airborne humanitarian food deliveries" for their "starving" neighbours.As a result, the Finns sarcastically dubbed the Sovietincendiarycluster bombs"Molotov bread baskets" (Finnish:Molotovin leipäkori) in reference to Molotov's propaganda broadcasts.When the hand-held bottle firebomb 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 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 aspetrol(gasoline),alcoholor anapalm-like mixture and a source of ignition, such as a burning clothwick, held in place by the bottle's stopper. The wick is usually soaked in alcohol orkerosenerather than petrol. Forwinter warfare, a method of ignition has been to attachstorm matchesto the side of the bottle, as these are less likely to be put out by wind.Some examples are fitted withballastfor improved throwing accuracy (such as filling1⁄3of 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, the ensuing cloud of fuel droplets and vapour is ignited by the attached wick, causing an immediatefireballfollowed by spreading flames as the remainder of the fuel is consumed.
Other flammable liquids, such asdiesel fuel,methanol,turpentine,jet fuel,acetone, andisopropyl alcohol(rubbing alcohol), have been used in place of, or combined with, petrol. Thickening agents, such assolvents,extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam(known colloquially asstyrofoam),baking soda,petroleum jelly,tar, strips oftyre tubing,nitrocellulose,motor oil,rubber cement,detergentanddish soap, have been added to promote adhesion of 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 asmoke generatingmixture such assulfur trioxidedissolved inchlorosulfonic 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 the first time in theSpanish Civil Warbetween July 1936 and April 1939,before they became known as "Molotov cocktails". In 1936, GeneralFrancisco FrancoorderedSpanish Nationalist forcesto use the weapon against SovietT-26tanks supporting theSpanish Republicansin a failed assault on the Nationalist stronghold ofSeseña, nearToledo, 40 km (25 mi) south ofMadrid.After that, both sides used simple petrol bombs set fire with toxic gas or petrol-soakedblanketswith some success.Tom Wintringham, a veteran of theInternational Brigades, later publicised his recommended method of using them:
TheBattle of Khalkhin Gol, a border conflict of 1939 ostensibly betweenMongoliaandManchukuo, saw heavy fighting betweenJapaneseandSovietforces. 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, theSoviet Unionattacked Finland, starting what came to be known as theWinter War. TheFinnishperfected 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, andpotassium chlorate. Further refinements included the attachment of wind-proof matches or a phial of chemicals that would ignite on breakage, thereby removing the need to pre-ignite the bottle, and leaving the bottle about one-third empty was found to make breaking more likely.
A BritishWar Officereport dated June 1940 noted that:
Molotov cocktails were eventually mass-produced by theAlkocorporation at itsRajamäki distillery, bundled withmatchesto light them.A 500 ml (0.53 US qt) bottle was filled with a mixture of petrol and paraffin, plus a small amount of tar. The basic bottle had two longpyrotechnicstorm matchesattached 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 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, withthe 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 the intention of using them against enemytanks.
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 toLDVleaders,General Ironsidesaid:
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 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 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, theWar Officeproduced 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 a length of cinema film (then composed of highly flammablenitrocellulose) 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 andphosphorusat pieces of wood and into a hut. On breaking, 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 inwhite phosphorusas 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 theNo. 76 Grenade, but more commonly known as the SIP (Self-Igniting Phosphorus) grenade. The perfected list of ingredients was white phosphorus,benzene, water and a two-inch strip of raw rubber; all in a half-pint bottle sealed with acrown 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 a hard surface, the glass would shatter and the contents would instantly ignite, liberating choking fumes ofphosphorus pentoxideandsulfur dioxideas 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 theHome Guardas 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 the efficacy of Molotov cocktails and SIPs grenades against the more modern German tanks. Weapon designerStuart Macraewitnessed a trial of the SIPs grenade atFarnborough: "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 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 andchemical weapons. Various frangible grenade designs were developed, with those investiged by the NDRC showing the highest technological level. These incendiary devices employed the most technologically advanced fillers in the conflict.
TheM1 frangible grenadewas 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 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 atIwo Jima.TheUnited States Marine Corpsdeveloped a version duringWorld War IIthat used a tube ofnitric acidand a lump of metallicsodiumto ignite a mixture of petrol and diesel fuel.
ThePolish Home Armydeveloped a versionwhich ignited on impact without the need of a wick. Ignition was caused by a reaction between concentratedsulfuric acidmixed with the fuel and a mixture ofpotassium chlorateand sugar which wascrystallizedfrom solution onto a rag attached to the bottle.
During theNorwegian campaignin 1940 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 the lighter tanks employed in Norway by Germany, such as thePanzer IandPanzer II.
Duringthe Troubles, both theProvisional Irish Republican Army(PIRA) and civilians used petrol bombs, although with different uses. Civilians tended to use petrol bombs and rocks againstpolice officersin riots;however, the PIRA tended to use them in attacks rather than in self-defence. Over time, as the PIRA became more co-ordinated, it shifted to usingIEDsrather than petrol bombs.
During theSecond Battle of Fallujahin 2004,U.S. Marinesemployed 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" ofguerrilla warfareand particularlymartyrdomtactics which often resulted in U.S. Marine casualties. The cocktail was a less expedient alternative towhite phosphorusmortar rounds or propane tanks detonated withC4(nicknamed the "House Guest"), all of which proved effective at burning out engaged enemy combatants.
During the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, theUkrainian Defense Ministrytold civilians to make Molotov cocktails, locally called "Banderasmoothies",to fight Russian troops.The defense ministry distributed 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 ofLviv, 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 jumbotamponfuse."The Russian media control organisationRoskomnadzorsuedTwitterfor not removing instructions for how to prepare and use molotov cocktails, so that Twitter had to pay 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 the1992 Los Angeles riots.
Molotov cocktails were used by protesters and civilian militia in Ukraine duringEuromaidanand theRevolution of Dignity. Protesters during theFerguson riotsalso used Molotov cocktails.
InBangladesh, 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 the2019–20 Hong Kong protests,riotsbroke out and Molotov cocktails were used to attack the police and create roadblocks. They were also used to attack anMTRstation, 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 2020George Floyd protestsin the United States.
During the2014–17 Venezuelan protests, protesters used Molotov cocktails similar to those used by demonstrators in other countries.As the2017 Venezuelan protestsintensified, demonstrators began using "Puputovs" (a portmanteau of the words "poo-poo" and "Molotov"), with glass containers filled with excrement being thrown at authorities after thePSUVruling-party official,Jacqueline Faría, mocked protesters who had to crawl through sewage inCaracas'Guaire Riverto avoid tear gas.
On 8 May, 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, duringprotests against Donald TrumpinPortland, 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 the United States, Molotov cocktails are considered "destructive devices" under theNational Firearms Actand are regulated by theATF.Wil Casey Floyd, fromElkhart 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.
InSimpson County, Kentucky, 20-year-old Trey Alexander Gwathney-Law attempted to burn Franklin-Simpson County Middle School with five Molotov cocktails; he 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 andrevolution. The Molotov's extensive use by civilian, andpartisanforces has also thereby led to the Molotov becoming a symbol representing civil unrest.The contrast of a Molotov cocktail and an organized force has become a popular symbol inpopular culture,and is often utilized as a weapon in variousvideo games.