Molotov Cocktail

this is not revelant but kind of is. The mongols had a device that would hurl boiling oil at the enemy's army, with 1 row of fire lit arrows the entire army would be annihalated

As we drift off topic.. in the Middle Ages people used boiling oil to defend castles. i.e. drop it on a ram and light it up. There is also Greek Fire which has been along for some time.

The Byzantines literary had a fleet of flame throwing ships.

What I don't understand then is if the Fins used it against the Red Army, why was it named for Vyacheslav Molotov?

It was called "a cocktail for Molotov".

Quote:

What I don't understand then is if the Fins used it against the Red Army, why was it named for Vyacheslav Molotov?

From Wikipedia:

Quote:

When Soviet People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs Vyacheslav Molotov claimed in radio broadcasts that the Soviet Union was not dropping bombs but rather delivering food to the starving Finns, the Finns started to call the air bombs Molotov bread baskets.[2] Soon they responded by attacking advancing tanks with “Molotov cocktails.” At first the term was used to describe only the burning mixture itself, but in practical use the term was soon applied to the combination of both the bottle and its contents.

Quote:

If you're dressed in civilian clothes, the battle is already over, and the victorious American Army is marching through the city, it shouldn't be impossible.

I would like to know if the Iraqis use it against the Americans.

Quote:

I would like to know if the Iraqis use it against the Americans.

I'm not 100% sure, but I do believe that the Iraqi civilians have used the Molotov against the US soldiers.

The imperialists must be crashed in Iraq.

Long live Iraq.

Please don't spam. Australian this forum is for discussing serious military matters, both historical, and modern day.

I understand.

My memory may be cheating me here, but one case I seem to remember (televised stuff I mean) was that time when two SAS soldiers were caught in non-military clothing loading with explosives etc (not strapped on them, but lying 'loose' in the car). They were arrested by the Iraqi authorities and subsequently taken to the local jail. Incensed, the British forces (I cannot remember which city this took place in, I'm sorry, but I can find out) rolled in with a tank to rescue the special troopers wherein the tank was set alight. From the footage I remember watching, members of the local populace had indeed thrown Molotovs at the tank, and one of the British crewman was burnt alive.

it was coming

I'd say that molotov cocktail boosted with thermite bags would cause more initial damage against IFVs and APCs. Thermite is pretty awesome stuff and easy to make.

I'd imagine missions kills are feasible even with a molotov. After all if it's blind and deaf, it's not very combat capable.

I want to draw a distinction, albeit a blurry one- how other people have used molotov cocktails, and how we can make and use them ourselves. The first is a valid topic, the latter violates forum rules. I'm going ahead and giving a warning now- DO NOT post something that I might think fits the second one.

-Cata

Point taken, Cata. Sorry about it. Not going to happen again.

Quote:

I'd imagine missions kills are feasible even with a molotov. After all if it's blind and deaf, it's not very combat capable.

Most AFVs today have halon-based firefighting systems, but only have so many halon bottles. So yes, missionkill is possible but several molotovs and some luck are required.

Quote:

Most AFVs today have halon-based firefighting systems, but only have so many halon bottles. So yes, missionkill is possible but several molotovs and some luck are required.

The fire-fighting systems primarily operate inside the AFV. most of the sensor equipment is outside. Not to mention the fact that at night a fire burning on the turret blinds the thermals. Of course this is a crude method, and takes luck, but then again you're attacking a million-dollar vehicle with a glass bottle and $1.50 worth of gasoline. You can only expect so much in terms of results.

I would like to know, can a molotov cocktail destroy (kill, inmobilize or take out of the fight) a tank, a modern era tank like the m1 a1 abraham for example? what do you think?

No, modern tanks are far to robust. Your best bet is to pick up some of the old soviet RPGs floating around on the black market after Libya supplied large numbers of them to various guerrila/terrorist groups around the world.