The Flamethrower

The portable flamethrower literally placed the power of fire in human hands. Capable of inflicting horrific injuries - or of using up the oxygen supply inside a building, causing the occupants to suffocate - it projected a stream of flammable liquid, which could be 'bounced' off the interior surfaces of tunnels, buildings and other defended structures to reach deep inside a fortification. From its combat debut with German troops in World War I to its deployment in Vietnam, Chechnya and elsewhere, the flamethrower has proven to be devastatingly effective, not least because of its huge psychological impact on enemy troops. Yet despite this, the weapon and its operators have always been vulnerable, suffering from a very particular set of limitations, all of which are explored here. Featuring expert analysis, first-hand accounts and a startling array of illustrations and photographs, this is the definitive guide to an extraordinary chapter in the history of military technology.

Chris McNab is an author and editor specializing in military history and military technology. To date he has published more than 40 books, including A History of the World in 100 Weapons (2011), Deadly Force (2009) and Tools of Violence (2008). He is the contributing editor of Hitler's Armies: A History of the German War Machine 1939-45 (2011) and Armies of the Napoleonic Wars (2009). Chris has also written extensively for major encyclopedia series, magazines and newspapers, and he lives in South Wales, UK.

Introduction Development: Controlling the flames Use: Unleashing hell Impact: A new world order Conclusion Bibliography Index