Knowra Molotov cocktail Molotov cocktail A Molotov cocktail is an improvised incendiary weapon made from a breakable container of flammable liquid and an ignition source. It is designed to spread fire when the container breaks.
Combustion : A chemical reaction in which a fuel reacts rapidly with an oxidant, releasing heat and often light. The device produces its incendiary effect through combustion of spilled fuel.
Winter War : The 1939–1940 conflict in which the Soviet Union invaded Finland. Finnish forces used the weapon during this conflict, helping popularize its name.
Guerrilla warfare : Irregular warfare in which smaller forces use mobility, ambush, and local support against stronger opponents. Improvised incendiaries have been used by irregular forces facing shortages of conventional weapons.
Burn : Tissue damage caused by heat, chemicals, electricity, radiation, or friction. Ignited fuel can cause severe thermal burns to people nearby.
Flash point : The lowest temperature at which a liquid gives off enough vapor to ignite briefly in air. Fuel volatility helps determine whether spilled liquid can ignite.
Vyacheslav Molotov : A Soviet politician and diplomat who served as foreign minister under Joseph Stalin. The weapon's name mocked Molotov's claims about Soviet bombing raids in Finland.
Urban warfare : Combat conducted in towns and cities, where buildings and civilian infrastructure shape military action. Close-range fighting and confined streets have made incendiary weapons especially hazardous in cities.
Firestorm : An intense fire that generates strong winds and draws in surrounding air. Multiple fires in dense areas can combine into uncontrollable, self-sustaining conflagrations.
Flammable liquid : A liquid that can ignite readily because it releases combustible vapor under ordinary conditions. The device relies on liquid fuel that can burn after the container breaks.
Molotov bread basket : A Finnish sarcastic name for Soviet cluster bombs used during the Winter War. The phrase supplied the joke behind calling the incendiary weapon a Molotov cocktail.
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