The flamethrower was developed in Germany in the early 1900’s by Richard Fiedler.
The flamethrower was first used by the Germans against the French and British, early in World War One in 1914 and 1915. This weapon was created to be used specifically in Trench Warfare.
The flamethrower spread fire quickly by launching burning fuel. It worked like a blow-gun, air was blow from the tank part into thetube, and the material inside would be launched towards the enemy. This weapon was extremely useful when it came to short range attacks, but it became more limited when officials wanted a wider attack.
The flamethrower was first used by the Germans against the French and British, early in World War One in 1914 and 1915. This weapon was created to be used specifically in Trench Warfare.
The flamethrower spread fire quickly by launching burning fuel. It worked like a blow-gun, air was blow from the tank part into thetube, and the material inside would be launched towards the enemy. This weapon was extremely useful when it came to short range attacks, but it became more limited when officials wanted a wider attack.
Verdan, France |
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Rare footage from the German lines during WWI. This video shows the impact of flamethrowers used in trench warfare.
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Impact and Consequences of the Flamethrower
The flamethrower was initially used against the French, near Verdan, in October 1914, in the south-east sector of the Western Front. The British, and soon to follow, the French, were shocked when the Germans used flamethrowers in a surprise attack in Flanders. A London newspaper called the use of flamethrowers in this situation “diabolical”. After the terrifying attack, and losing 31 officers plus 751 soldiers, Britain quickly adopted the flamethrower, and France did as well. Even after the weapon was used by the Allies, they were still portrayed as diabolical. The weapons were initially considered a huge threat, but when both sides started using them, they weren’t as shocking, but still had a major impact on the war. The leaders of warring nations knew that if they did not adopt the flamethrower, they didn’t stand a chance of winning, especially in trench warfare.
Flamethrowers, while very effective, were very dangerous to the person who was operating it. Their life expectancy was very short, due to the cylinders carrying the fuel possibly exploding unexpectedly. With that said, the shoulders on the front line of the receiving side were also in danger.
The British ended up building four, two ton flamethrowers, directly into a trench. They were constructed in No Man’s Land, only 60 yards away from the German line. In 1917, the Germans made a lighter weight model, which had the benefit of self-igniting. Throughout the war, the Germans launched 650 flamethrower attacks. Flamethrowers can be seen as positive or negative. If you're the one firing them, positive. If you're the defense, negative.
By the end of the war, each side had their own modified version of the flamethrower. Some were smaller and made more for mobilization and some had expanded to being used against tanks, which carried over to World War Two.
The flamethrower was initially used against the French, near Verdan, in October 1914, in the south-east sector of the Western Front. The British, and soon to follow, the French, were shocked when the Germans used flamethrowers in a surprise attack in Flanders. A London newspaper called the use of flamethrowers in this situation “diabolical”. After the terrifying attack, and losing 31 officers plus 751 soldiers, Britain quickly adopted the flamethrower, and France did as well. Even after the weapon was used by the Allies, they were still portrayed as diabolical. The weapons were initially considered a huge threat, but when both sides started using them, they weren’t as shocking, but still had a major impact on the war. The leaders of warring nations knew that if they did not adopt the flamethrower, they didn’t stand a chance of winning, especially in trench warfare.
Flamethrowers, while very effective, were very dangerous to the person who was operating it. Their life expectancy was very short, due to the cylinders carrying the fuel possibly exploding unexpectedly. With that said, the shoulders on the front line of the receiving side were also in danger.
The British ended up building four, two ton flamethrowers, directly into a trench. They were constructed in No Man’s Land, only 60 yards away from the German line. In 1917, the Germans made a lighter weight model, which had the benefit of self-igniting. Throughout the war, the Germans launched 650 flamethrower attacks. Flamethrowers can be seen as positive or negative. If you're the one firing them, positive. If you're the defense, negative.
By the end of the war, each side had their own modified version of the flamethrower. Some were smaller and made more for mobilization and some had expanded to being used against tanks, which carried over to World War Two.
Connections to Today
Today, flamethrowers are not used by American soldiers. In 1978, the U.S. department of defense decided to stop using them for many reasons. One being that the backpack part of the weapon was easily visible, causing the operators to be an easy target for snipers. However, they had been used in Korea, and the Vietnam war. Flamethrowers were used to destroy vehicles, bunkers and forts in these battles. These modern day flamethrowers were more expensive and more refined, but still similar to the ones used in World War One.
Julia Kelley